True Love's Kiss
by Altiria-Aty
Summary: The Whitebeard crew converge upon Marineford to rescue one of their own. As they arrive, they and everyone nearby are cursed by the powers of the fairy-tale fruit. Luffy, the only one with his memories intact, now needs to find a way to break them all out of the story with the aid of almost stranger; who deeply regrets his involvement. For the One Piece Big Bang 2018 (Lawlu)
1. True Love's Kiss

Sprinting through the streets of the Goa Kingdom three young boys once again fled their pursuser; in that day's case an older man who owned the ramen shop which had just been 'mysteriously' robbed. The waitress that worked there would personally never admit how confused she had been when she'd seated one older fellow, but three children had run away from the bill. The trio fled full force through the streets knowing they would have no real trouble getting away. After all, what was one old man to them? Of course, they would have done a much better job escaping if one of the three hadn't stopped dead in the middle of the road upon seeing something new.

The sign was colorful, vibrant, covered in glitter, and above all eye-catching. It was not the gold and silver that genuinely caught the youngest of the three's eyes instead it had been the pirate like figure in the background. It was the man with a hooked hand and a booted foot on a treasure chest, and a jolly roger behind him.

"What's this?" Luffy asked skidding to a stop and devouring the picture with his attention.

"Luffy!"Ace and Sabo tripped over themselves to stop as well; they, unlike Luffy, could not simply bend their ankles the wrong way round to turn. Both of them cried his name in slight irritation, they both knew one didn't just stop during a chase.

Come on!" Sabo grabbed a handful of his shirt and dragged the upper half of Luffy's body away from the poster. While Ace usually would have helped, his attention was likewise caught - temporarily he'd insist - by the fascinating image. It was probably the gold covering the picture that did so, or maybe it was the thick red coat of the pirate and the connections Ace made between that particular coat and a certain famous pirate.

Sabo without Ace's help could only drag Luffy so far. He was forced to release Luffy who snapped back into place and didn't even trip from the force. With a sound of aggravation he turned to his siblings. "Both of you! What are you staring at?!"

Luffy hopped in place pointing eagerly at the imagine: "Isn't it cool? Look Sabo, Ace, there's a pirate and everything!"

Shooting a look at what had caught his brothers' attention so firmly Sabo made a face. Personally, he didn't find the picture all that fascinating, it was just a poster for the theater and that year's fairytale."Yes Luffy, and a fairy." He grabbed a handful of Ace and Luffy's shirts this time intending to drag them both away and return to the high speed chase they'd been in the middle of. Thankfully Ace wasn't actually resisting him too badly, "there's also pixie dust and some nonsense about a ticking crocodile, come on."

"You know what this is?" Ace finally yanked his eyes away from the glittering poster.

Huffing Sabo focused back on the poster and nodded, he'd been right at the first look. "It's Peter Pan."

"Peter who?" Ace and Luffy said at the same time, heads cocking to the side in the exact same way.

"Peter Pan," Sabo stressed. He tripled checked to make sure the old man hadn't caught up yet. It seemed they were alright for the moment as Sabo couldn't hear furious yelling yet. They had made it a fair distance before Luffy had stopped dead in the road, "it's a fairytale, a play. The poster is for the theater."

"The what?"

"Is it food?"

Sabo released their shirts with a snap and gave the pair a deadpanned look. Sure he didn't expect Ace or Luffy to know about the theater, but to not know about fairy-tales? That was a bit much. At their continued blankness he started to flounder for a way to explain. "No! Luffy it's not food! The theater is… it's, uh, for stories! People get dressed up and act out different characters, music is played and everything. They- they uh… they start with an introduction. It's in this big round room with a stage, the music will start, and at the front this red curtain will rise revealing the narrator… the narrator is the guy who tells the story, and he'll say something like-" Sabo stood tall and proclaimed in a deep projecting voice, "'Once upon a time in the hidden heart of Dawn, a handsome young prince lived in a beautiful castle' or something like that," he flapped a dismissive hand even as his face warmed in embarrassment.

Turning his face away from his brothers so they couldn't see his expression he said: "After that the main character will appear-"

"Like the pirate!" Luffy said pointing at the poster. He was quite convinced the main character had to be a pirate, after all, the only stories he remembered starred Shanks or Gold Roger as characters. He had near purposely forgotten all the stories Makino had told him before meeting Shanks, or the horrifying ones his grandfather insisted he hear about.

"Or the prince." Ace's lips curled in disgust thinking of the ponce that ruled the Goa Kingdom.

Sabo scowled at his brothers for interrupting: "-anyway! Every fairytale will have different characters like the hero, the villain, the princess - who always has a dress and an animal sidekick. The story always ends with true love's kiss or something like that." Ace made a disgusted noise, Luffy beside him quickly copied even if he didn't know why Ace was making that sound. "Alright well that last one isn't completely accurate; I heard about one where the princess sacrificed herself for her sister, that worked too. Something about it being true love between family members," Sabo glanced between them and added, "brothers work too."

Luffy and Ace nodded approvingly and Sabo continued on: "Then finally and most importantly, you have to have a happy ending."

"Why?" Luffy asked.

Ace reached over and slapped the back of his head, "how else would the story end?"

"Ooh!" well that made perfect sense.

"So what story is Peter Pan then?" Ace found himself asking trying not to put too much emphasis on the character he really wanted to know about, "it had a pirate on it and gold."

"That one is about a boy who doesn't age, a pirate, and a fairy who makes people fly."

"And the pirate wins!" Luffy proclaimed.

Sabo felt his lips twitch slightly recalling the story and how that was definitely not how it ended. Still, they'd probably never see it, and Luffy was happy so- "of course he does, he's the freest in Never-land."

"I wanna see Peter Pan!" Luffy said, "can we go, Sabo? Ace? Can we?"

"Uh…" Sabo looked helplessly at Ace, he didn't want Luffy to know that the pirate in the story was a bad guy and acted so pathetically. The man had been defeated by a Crocodile for Poseidon's sake, they beat up crocodiles almost daily! Thankfully for him distraction came with a cry behind them, the old ramen man had actually caught up to them.

"You brats!"

"Uh-oh."

"Time to go."

"RUN!"

Luffy never did get to see the story of Peter Pan told for real and not edited by his siblings. He did get to see a few live shows with Ace when a traveling group visited Foosha village one summer. Luffy had enjoyed them and so had Ace even if Ace had secretly been trying to impress one of the actresses. So even if Luffy hadn't been to a real play, he could recognize them pretty quickly. Which is why years later as Luffy rushed to save his brother from the Marines he was able to identify the theater and a fairy-tale when he saw it.

On a stolen marine ship Luffy was sitting at the bow and staring at a quickly forming cloud in the distance. The closer the darkness came, and the closer the ship sailed toward it, the more Luffy realized it was glittering and immobile. It was also hovering about the ocean waves and was not high about them in the sky. Instead it seemed to coat the entirety of the area around Marineford.

Jimbe stepped up beside him eyes narrowed on the smoke. It was not the smoke from fire and destruction, nor a cloud, or even random occurrence from the Grand-Lines unusual weather. No, Jimbe knew what that smoke was the second he saw it shift and glitter in the suns light. He didn't hesitate a moment to grab Luffy dragging them both away from the bow and toward the helm yelling at the man lazily standing there: "Turn us around! Avoid it!"

When someone as strong as a Shichubukai sounded that panicked people tended to act and act quick. Buggy screamed at the group to turn them and the prisoners' dove at the wheel frantic. Jimbe reached the helm a moment later ignoring the five men trying desperately to turn the wheel. He added his own hands to the effort even though he knew it would likely be a pointless attempt. The ship had already passed through the gates of justice, and they were caught in the current. No matter what they did, forward was the only direction they would go until the doors were closed.

The bow of the ship plunged into the smoke and was lost from sight. Slowly the wood was overtaken inch by inch by the dark purple shade as if it had never existed. Closer to the bow of the ship Jimbe snatched hold of Luffy and quickly backtracked. The rest of the group from Impel down rushed to follow his example none of them daring to touch the threating glittering smog.

"Don't touch it," Jimbe needlessly emphasized as they launched down the stairs to the lower deck. The smoke continued to follow pillowing over the wood and seeping into every crack.

Too soon the entire makeshift crew was trapped against the stern of their stolen marine ship. Gathered together it did not take long for one unfortunate former prisoner to be tossed from the group. Everyone watched as the smoke seemed to grow and twist, it jerked like it was alive and enveloped the man in an instant. The crew screamed in terror as everyone struggled to escape, a few ever dared to jump over the railing convinced they could swim for it. The attempt only served to drag them faster into the cloud when the current caught them.

Buggy split into several pieces, his feet moving to the very edge of the ship while his upper body grabbed hold of Jimbe's arm. "What is it going to do to us!?" he screamed, was it poison? had Magellan caught up? Where they all going to die?!

"It's a devil-fruit," Jimbe answered grimly watching as more pirates and several of the okama group were overtaken and silenced, "I never imagined they'd use it."

"It?"

"What is 'it!?'"

"The tale-tale fruit, otherwise known as the fairy-tale fruit."

A few men snorted relaxing, one even let the smoke cover him without complaint. 'That doesn't sound so bad' was the general consensus.

"You're wrong," Jimbe told them backing another step away. He cast his eyes toward the ocean below, it was possible to take Luffy and avoid it in the ocean if he was careful, he'd have to abandon everyone else including Iva who was giving the smog a wary stare. "That fruits power will take us to a new world, a world where we'll lose our memories and personalities. We'll become no more than characters following a story we cannot control or understand; trapped until the story ends and there is no telling how long that will be. I have heard of a few that never returned even centuries later."

"What?!" the group screamed.

"Turn the ship around, do something!"

"But I have to save Ace!" Luffy glared at the purple smog in a fury for interfering.

"He'll be within," Jimbe told him, "as will the Whitebeard pirates that would have come to his aid."

Luffy paused as he said that; he turned slowly looking at the twisting tendrils. Ace was inside that and Luffy was here to save him… so Luffy had to go inside it too. It didn't matter if he'd never escape, he had to try. His crew would understand.

Without hesitation, Luffy stepped forward.

"Luffy-kun!" "Straw hat-boy!" Iva and Jimbe both grabbed for him and missed by a breath. Jimbe snatched his arm backward as the smoke snatched Luffy up narrowly avoiding the same fate. Ivankov however, he was a breath too slow; the darkness raced up his arms devouring him before he could so much as gasp.

Within the smoke Luffy glanced around, he didn't feel different or anything, he still remembered who he was and what he was trying to do. Though the ground under his feet was stable, it carried no sign that he had previously been floating on the ocean which was odd. Bouncing a bit to test the floor Luffy swung his body around glancing around for signs of enemies or his brother, or even the ship he'd been on, but there was nothing, just the smoke.

Luffy cupped his mouth and yelled into the empty space: "Ace!" his voice echoed into the distance and no one responded. "Jimbe! Iva!" Luffy tried different names wondering if someone on the ship with him was near. Still there was nothing but his own cries, so he tried one last gamble: "BIG NOSE!"

Silence. Luffy was alone.

Glancing around him Luffy squinted trying to make out a landmark, any would do: a tree, a mountain, even a rock would have been helpful to walk towards. There was nothing to be seen; Luffy was forced to pick a random direction and just start walking.

Minutes passed - Luffy wasn't sure how many since he wasn't exactly keeping track - when finally something changed. In the distance there was a sound. The fading notes of an instrument making him immediately think of Brook. Luffy had heard the same sound coming from the instrument Brook often played, a violin. Would he find Brook in the strange smoke?

Luffy started forward ears alert to follow the soft noise. With each step closer the more instruments could be heard joining together with the first. Following that was the low humming of male and female voices harmonizing together. The first sentence was more understandable than any sound before it had been. A deep male voice warbled out singing at the top of his lungs: "When you meet the someone, who is meant for you. Before two can become one, there is something you must do."

Luffy made a face and trotted faster until he found a bright red satin curtain hanging in the middle of nowhere. Not thinking twice about how odd the sight was, Luffy snatched it and tossed it aside. Right behind the curtain was a theater. Luffy found himself in the upper levels looking down at a stage. It was a theater designed remarkably similar to the one Sabo had described to him, but unlike Sabo's stories, not a single seat was filled throughout the entire building. Despite that, a play was beginning, and the music he had been hearing was coming from the stage. The curtain was already up, and a set of people in suits with dead expressions on their faces were playing the instruments. Standing dead center of the stage was a huge person, a man with a most peculiar mustache; and as Luffy watched he opened his mouth and revealed himself to be the singer.

"I've been dreaming of true loves kiss, and a prince I'm hoping comes with this." From the sides of the stage more people joined the man in the center. Luffy belatedly realized he recognized some of them from the pictures Ace had shown him, they were Whitebeard Pirates. They were all Ace's nakama, but why were they singing and not rescuing Ace?

"That's what brings ever-aftering, so happy!" the group sang together.

Luffy made a choking noise when Jimbe appeared on one side with a shark guy on the opposite. Both of them raised their voices: "And that's the reason we need lips so much! For lips are the only things that touch~!"

"Jimbe?!" Luffy yelled, what was he doing? They didn't have time to dance!

Whitebeard picked up his voice: "So to spend a life of endless bliss!" he spun on the spot arms thrown out, "just find who you love, through true loves kiss~."

The drawn-out note played, and the curtains dropped blocking the pirates from view. All but one light went out, the last one remained focused on a woman directly center of the auditorium. The small figure had been hidden in one of the seats noticeable only when she stood. She was clapping as loudly as she could the noise echoing eerily with how quiet the building was. Slowly the applause petered off, then she turned her eyes flicking around the upper levels from one point to the left, then to Luffy.

"Two then? More than I expected considering it should have only have been the Pirate king's spawn." She flapped a dismissive hand to her own comment and asked: "what did you think? Pretty good right? Considering it's Whitebeard and he's got the voice of a drowned rat," she gave a high pitched laugh doubling over at her own joke; then she suddenly sobered snapping straight up: "I hope you both enjoy my story, I wrote it special! Months of work you know…" her eyes narrowed, "you'd best appreciate it."

Luffy stepped forward and cracked his knuckles, "What did you do to them? And where is Ace!?"

"Not to worry, not to worry, he's waiting for you; they all are," she rubbed her hands together, "now! On with the show! And as the people say, break a leg." cruelty crossed her expression, "and I do really mean that; break… a… leg!" She spun and clapped her hands, then every light went out plunging the theater into darkness.

Luffy planned on diving forward to grab the marine and make the woman tell him where his brother was. Instead; unable to see where he was going, Luffy tripped over the balcony in front of him. The ground dropped away as gravity took over. His stomach plunged as he fell, and Luffy acted out of habit taking in a deep breath to balloon his body. However, when he tried, nothing happened, his body wasn't inflating. His devil fruit, wasn't working.

"EH?!" he screamed staring at his flat stomach. He tried again as the ground surged up, but once more nothing happened. In a panic, Luffy shoved his hand into his mouth to inflate his arm instead. But all Luffy succeeded in doing when he tried was to bite into his hand.

'What?'

He pulled at his finger, but it didn't stretch. He wasn't rubber anymore.

And then Luffy hit the ground.

* * *

**The Coverart and my lovely partner for the One Piece Big Bang is 'Callanway' found on Tumblr, look them up for two additional pieces done for this fic 3**


	2. One Jump Ahead

A crash sounded in the small village of Nauticalford, as Monkey D. Luffy fell out of the sky, and crashed into a pile of hay-bails being delivered to a nearby inn. For the first time that he could remember Luffy groaned in pain from a fall, his entire body felt like he'd been struck by his grandfather's fist. Rolling out of the hay, and spitting up a few pieces, Luffy staggered to his feet while rubbing his head. Why hadn't he stretched? The question ran through his head; nothing like that had ever happened before unless he counted the times he'd been hit and it had hurt, but even then he'd still stretched afterward. Luffy tugged at his mouth and his fingers but nothing happened, he wasn't rubber anymore.

Luffy couldn't think about that though, not while Ace was in danger. He had to find Ace since Ace's Nakama were too busy dancing because of some strange marine lady. So where should he go? Which direction was Ace? Was it that way, or that- Luffy turned slowly, mouth watering as he smelled something being cooked, a succulent, inviting, mouth-watering meat somewhere nearby. All he knew was that he hadn't eaten since the okama of Impel down had given him food, which was unacceptable. Luffy was well aware that Ace was important, but he couldn't rescue Ace on an empty stomach.

Luffy was ducking the sword before he'd even realized he'd moved.

With a huge haunch of turkey leg already in his mouth, and two more in both hands Luffy had apparently already angered the local populace. A woman was screaming her head off crying the word 'thief' at full volume. A guard was grabbing for him, another hadn't bothered with the 'apprehending' part of arrest and had gone straight into execution, which was why he'd had to dodge the sword in the first place.

"Scoundrel!" another woman yelled.

"Arrest him!" cried several other voices as Luffy looked up, feeling surprised and a bit thrown off. Then a grin split his face as he swallowed the meat in his mouth; this was just like his childhood with Sabo and Ace. Stealing food and running for his life, this was what Luffy was used this, this was familiar.

Ducking another wild swing, Luffy twisted backward and bolted. "Thank you for the food!" he yelled over his shoulder, before vanishing around a corner- and smashing his elbow into a wall as he did. Luffy sucked in a shocked breath when a zap of pain raced up his limb startling him. Oh, it didn't slow him down at all, but he had forgotten he wasn't rubber and a hit like that actually hurt.

Leapfrogging another guard and shoving the second haunch of meat into his mouth he took a short pause. Luffy recognized that guard, the man had been with Buggy in prison, he was one of the prisoners. The man, in fact, had been one of the first to fall into the smoke. His black and white striped prison garb had been replaced by the glittering of a guards uniform. "Why are you attacking me?!" Luffy called at him, because they knew each other, this man had been helping him rescue Ace.

"Stay still criminal!" Which didn't make any sense at all, the man was a prisoner, a pirate, why was he acting like a guard? Why was a fellow pirate, trying to capture another pirate like Luffy?

Deciding he'd been wrong about the man's identity Luffy continued running before the guards cornered him; and nearly paused again. There was another man from the prison, but this one was dressed as a woman. The man as Luffy ran past screamed as high pitched as he could, crying out: "RIFFRAFF!"

Another sword missed his head by a breath as Luffy ran for an alley. In a move he'd seen Sanji do, Luffy kicked off the ground and scrambled up the nearby wall bouncing from side to side until he reached the roof. At the top, he stopped to finish the last piece of stolen meat while glancing at the ground. The guards were wandering about in utter confusion having lost track of him; observing them for a moment Luffy was sure he recognized a few. Jimbe had said the smoke would take their memories and personalities which explained why they were acting different, but Luffy remembered just fine; he knew who he was, knew he'd be the pirate king one day, and he remembered he had to find and save Ace. Really the only difference for him between before the smoke and after was Luffy's devil-fruit ability - which he no longer had - everything else, including his clothing, was just about the same.

"On the roof!" cried a guard finally locating him.

"Into the house! Take the stairs and cut him off!" the man who cried it was one Luffy instantly knew, it was scissors-guy, his white and orange hair was unmistakable. At least from what Luffy was seeing scissors-guy didn't have his devil-fruit powers either.

Running for the nearest ledge, Luffy planned to stretch over from one roof to the next to escape the guards, he'd done it countless times before. After a few hops the guards would lose track of him, then Luffy could return to his hunt for Ace. At least that had been the plan, he had once again forgotten he couldn't stretch. He never reached the opposite roof and instead fell in a heap into the ground.

"Ouch!" he cried as he landed painfully on his knees, pain jarred all the way up his legs and along his back. Grimacing Luffy's whole body seized up before he forced himself to move on. He still had to find meat- Ace, he meant Ace, and then escape the story and go find his lost crew.

"Catch him!" yelled the guards who immediately turned around and rushed down the stairs after hearing him fall. Scrambling away, Luffy ducked under a guard and grabbed a handful of meat as he passed a stall selling it. He shoved a full leg into his mouth and then grabbed for a second, only to catch something that wasn't meat at all.

"He's got a sword!" screamed the guards in fright as Luffy realized he'd stolen a sword from one of the guards he'd passed.

Oops. Luffy didn't even know how to use a sword, he wasn't Zoro!

"You idiot," said another guard, "we've all got swords!"

"Oh yeah."

"Forgot about that."

"AFTER HIM!"

Luffy tossed the sword - he couldn't use it anyway - and bolted. He passed a few houses looking for one to climb; he got lucky when he passed one with a long drainage pipe attached to the side of the wall. Quickly Luffy shimmied up it tossing himself into a nearby window and landing in a kitchen. Inside a woman had set out a plate of bacon ready and waiting to be eaten.

"THIEF!" cried a voice as Luffy swiped her entire plate and continued on out the apartment into the hallway. He rushed for the stairs once again gunning for the roof and reminded himself not to jump this time, it hurt to land. The one he ended up on had a shorter jump to the next building, with a small hop across Luffy continued on, this time rushing down the stairs and toward the back door of the building for the alley-way.

By the time he was half-way down the stairs the guards had reached the roof of the previous building, Luffy was almost in the clear. Whistling to himself Luffy tossed the empty plate aside as he sang cheerily to himself: "One jump ahead of the slowpokes." Then someone grabbed the back of his shirt nearly choking him. Luffy was dragged firmly backwards into a nearby building, and the door slammed closed hiding him and his kidnapper from sight.

A hand slapped over his mouth and being Luffy, he did the first thing that came to mind in that situation. He licked it.

A deep male voice made a disgusted exasperated sound before it scoffed and drawled out: "How attractive Straw hat-ya."

Luffy glanced up and back looking into the dark eyes of a tall guard staring down at him. He wore like the others the silver armor, but unlike the others, he appeared to dislike doing so. A sword was attached to his belt; it was not the sword the man normally owned, but rather a saber that all the guards wore. Looking away from the mans face Luffy's eyes caught sight of the man's hand slowly releasing the back of his shirt and was able to see dark tattoo's on the man's fingers that read out the word 'death.'

"Straw hat-ya," the man drawled, "stop licking me."

Luffy snapped his mouth closed still focused on the tattoo's, he knew them, why did he know them?

"Don't scream." The man ordered as he pulled his hand from Luffy's mouth.

Luffy scoffed, why would he- "Oh!" he screamed. The hand snapped right back over his mouth as the guard glowered at him.

"What did I just say?"

"Mub-puf-keem" Luffy answered muffled by the hand. The man removed it, and Luffy said again, "not to scream."

"So why did you?"

Luffy grinned, "I remember you! You were with that cool bear!" he cocked his head, "Eh, where is the bear… and your hat, it was a cool hat! And the bear?"

Trafalgar Law palmed his face and released a low groan, under his breath he grumbled: "Why me? Why this?" With a forceful exhale Law focused back on Luffy, he'd have to take it. Luffy was the only person who seemed to remember a thing. Law believed it had something to do with their names and the power of a D. The marine had mentioned 'two' so she'd likely been aware of why they were resistant to her abilities. Law after awakening had taken it to mean someone else remembered like he did and since Luffy had been the only one in the audience outside Law, Law assumed it had been him, and in this case he was correct.

Luffy didn't remember the man's name, hadn't Nami told him? Maybe, but Luffy didn't remember what she'd said. He decided then was going to call him 'Spotty' like his hat, until he figured it out. Oh, but he didn't have spots anymore, did that matter?

"You remember," Law said, "good, what do you know about the devil fruit?" he'd gather information first

Luffy cocked his head: "Jimbe said it was the tale-tale fruit."

Law clicked his tongue unhappily and took a step back putting a bit of distance between them. "Fairytale… perhaps an alternate world?" he mused to himself, "how to escape though?"

"We gotta get a happy ending Spotty," Luffy answered even if he hadn't been asked.

"Happy ending, I suppose that makes sense if it's a fairytale- Spotty?!"

"I don't remember your name," Luffy said unrepentant, "how come you remember too? And why are you here?" his eyes lit up, "were you gonna help save Ace?" he knew there was a reason he liked Spotty, he was a good guy!

'Spotty' pinched his nose with a long-suffering sound, "My name is Trafalgar Law. As for your other questions, I was simply in the area when the devil fruit was activated. Now, what do you mean by happy ending-"

Trafalgar Law? That was complicated, he liked Spotty better. But then Trafa-fally-Tragar- he didn't have spots. So instead- "Torao!" Luffy decided, it worked much better at Spotty who wasn't spotty.

Law cut off and twitched violently. He mentally counted to ten before he said again. "What do you mean by happy ending?"

Luffy made a face as if Law was unusually slow. "It's a fairytale Torao, we have to finish the story and to do that we need to get a happy ending. Everybody knows that." Luffy gave Law a look the screamed 'are-you-an-idiot.' "Haven't you read a fairytale before Torao?"

"Of course I have," he snarked; he'd read them to Lamie all the time before she'd died-

But it made sense if they were in a story, finishing it was the easiest way to escape. The only problem was they didn't know what the story was; to break out they'd have to figure that out first.

"Follow me," Law ordered and yanked open the door to march down the alleyway.

"Eh! Why?" Luffy asked even as he skipped after him.

"We need information," Law answered simply.


	3. Long Ago

It had been on a whim that had Law leading his crew toward the oceans around Marineford. Hearing of Portgas' arrest and the whispers of an impending war had perked his attention. The marines had no intentions of publicizing the execution, and so the only way to observe anything was by sailing in range of the marine island. Law had never intended to get close enough to the battle to be dragged into it, only close enough so that he could witness the historic event.

The sheer lack of marine forces outside Marineford had been his and the Whitebeard pirates first warning. The woman standing alone with Portgas chained to her side crying out a warning had been the second. Then came the smoke. Law had attempted to swap his ship, the polar tang, away from it, tried to turn around and flee, but it had been for naught. The smoke raced over the sea faster than any ship could sail, it engulfed the Polar Tang and her crew uncaring that they were underwater at the time. Law's crew, in a moment, had been stolen from him; to reclaim them, he'd stepped forward into the smog without hesitation. Pirates were greedy, pirate captains were more so, and Law refused to relinquish what was his to a marine.

After witnessing the marine woman play with the Whitebeard pirates, Law had woken up dressed in metal, a full guards uniform, he had found himself surrounded by former pirates turned into soldiers without a single memory of the real world. Law had intended to change out of the uniform as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the only clothing available was either the armor or ragged peasant garb, and Law refused to wear the latter. Though the armor had its own perks, wearing the uniform meant the peasants gave him a respectful distance and the dregs of the village avoided him like the plague, it also meant he need not worry about being arrested. With the outfit it had been simple enough to gather information after awakening; the guards would easily gossip with themselves even if everyone else avoided them. As such Law had discovered no one knew what Marineford was, nor the blue's. They completely blanked if he mentioned pirates or marines, and when asked about their location they only answered with 'the village of course.' Irritated with the blankness that came from his questions Law had chosen to explore the 'village' itself for more information. Which is when he'd spotted Luffy screaming about not being 'rubber.'

Personally, Law felt pleased that it was Monkey D. Luffy that would become his ally in this world. Law had already intended to speak to Luffy about an alliance after he'd witnessed his fellow rookie punching a celestial dragon in the face. That was reason enough for Law to believe Luffy would have little qualms about targeting someone perceived to be untouchable as Law's target was. This way he could both work on escaping and test his fellow rookie for compatibility between them.

Asking around for information would not be overly tricky. Law knew this already because of the uniform he'd been forced into. Fairy-tales or the few he'd read all seemed to follow a general outline, by asking around he could discover what the plot was that the marine woman had designed for the world. To escape the world, they'd need to finish the tale, to do that they'd need the plot.

As he led Luffy through the city Law found himself nearly pausing when he saw her. Clione, his crew-mate dressed in thick rags that had his lips curling in remembrance of their first meeting. He watched her turn her gaze, scanning the streets before they landed on him. Fear entered her expression when she spotted him, fear of the metal uniform he had woken up in and what it represented. In this world he was a guard, he was as good as a marine in the eyes of the civilians; in the eyes of his own crewmate who no longer saw him as her captain.

Law turned away from Clione and focused on someone he did not know; he'd prefer to speak to a stranger than her and that blankness. Approaching a nearby civilian, he opened his mouth prepared to question them- and was forced to twist sideways avoiding the violently thrown hay-maker directed at his head. Bending back the metal of his uniform locked jerking him to a stop with a fist heading right for his head. Law automatically reached up his hand to summon a room and swap himself out of range and forgot he couldn't do that either. Swearing in his head he braced himself, but the blow didn't land.

Luffy's hand reached past him catching the arm and diverting it to the side. "Hey! That's not nice, that's my friend!"

Law's eyes narrowed, 'friend?' Did Luffy just call him-

"He's a guard!" the man spat at the ground yanking his arm back, "that scum is here just to arrest us with his made up charges, I'm not vanishing like the rest." That was different; usually Law was despised for being a pirate, now he was scorned for being the equivalent of a marine officer.

"Torao won't do that! He's my friend, so you leave him alone or I'll beat you up." There was so much Law wanted to say about that particular sentence, from the nickname to the claim they were friends again. They were allies and allies alone, they were working toward a common goal perhaps two if their association worked out. But friends, no, they weren't that.

The man scoffed: "Whatever." He lit a cigar taking a deep inhale and blew the smoke toward them, "well? What do you want then? I 'ain't got all day you know."

With a deep sigh, Law pushed back the desire to argue with Luffy and focused on getting information. "Tell me about the king," he said. It was likely safe to assume the nobles in this place was involved in the story. After what he'd witnessed in the village he knew the king had to be corrupt for the guards did not protect, and the peasants were far too destitute to be happy.

"The king… why a guard like you want to know about him, 'ain't you lot been around him personally?"

"Assume I haven't."

Luffy glanced around a bit lazily, seemingly he wasn't listening, but Law wasn't entirely sure that thought was accurate.

"Not much to tell." The man lifted his hand in a half shrugging motion, "we don't see much of him down here. But we do hear rumors, the usual crap ya know? Like how he went mad after his wife's death or how he was cursed to never bare a child after what he did to the first one."

"First child, what child?" Law leaned forward while Luffy's gave the man a side-long glance. "What did he do?"

"Jeez, don't you know anything? After his wife died, what like two decades ago, the enchantress popped up… dunno what the guy was thinking listening to one of them, nothing good comes from magic. Anyway, the enchantress told him the prophecy. It went something like…" the man cleared his throat.

"What's a prophecy?" Luffy asked.

"A prediction." Even as Law answered, the environment around then went strange. He and Luffy glanced around swiftly, the sunny day suddenly darkened, clouds formed exclusively around them. Haunting music began to play, the source of which was nowhere to be found. While the civilian they'd spoken to was illuminated, his face was center as mist swirled around him putting him in deep focus. The man's voice twisted growing deeper, like an announcer for the den-den radio stations Law had caught in the North Blue.

Luffy gave Law a huge grin thrilled by the changes: "Ooh!" he said.

"Long ago…" the man began as the music quieted sightly, "the kingdom and village were prosperous, and the people were happy, free. It was a time of peace, filled with joy and celebration as the beloved queen announced she had fallen pregnant; the kingdom would have an heir! However, as she spoke of this, the enchantress appeared without warning." The darkness around them grew, and the music twisted. Luffy leaned forward excitedly, Law found himself doing the same. "The enchantress announced to the king and queen, 'this child will be cursed, it will be responsible for death and destruction… this kingdom will fall at its hands.' And she warned them, 'kill it, kill it before it can fulfill this destiny.'"

Luffy's eyes grew cold as he stared at the man a sneer crossing his lips. That reminded him too much of Ace, like the people who used to tell Ace that he shouldn't be alive. Luffy hated those people; they were wrong, the baby and Ace both deserved to live.

Law's thoughts ran on a different line, a fairytale had a happy ending, but this did not sound like it had one. Unless the primary purpose of this tale was to ensure Portgas ended up dead. True most fairy-tales were based on darker ideas, this could be one like that. He would prefer his theory be inaccurate; if escaping meant Portgas' death and he had a hand in it… he'd be hunted to the ends of the ocean by the eternally loyal Whitebeard pirates.

The man continued on ignorant of their thoughts; instead, he leaned toward them eyes positively glowing in the darkness. "The queen refused to believe the enchantresses words, she would not harm her child and begged the king to send the woman away. He did, but he would come to regret that choice. For the birth was violent and when the child ripped from the queen, it claimed her life in exchange for its own.

"That's not the babies fault!" Luffy snapped. The man didn't notice his outburst even if Law did.

"It's not," Law confirmed, "the fault lies in the health system of this place, with a proper doctor the queen would have been fine." He'd worked on laboring mothers before, occasionally using his devil fruit to cut the child out for both the mother and infants safety.

"Grief-stricken the king knew what he had to do, he had to prevent the prophecy from coming true. The child had to die. But the king was unwilling to kill the babe in the home of the late queen, not after she had defended her unborn child so completely. Thus, he called for his most trusted guard and bid him to take the child to the forbidden forest and to dispose of it. The guard left, and he returned without the child. But he did not kill it. He left the child hidden and safe within the boundaries of the forest, out of range of the kingdom and the King's hatred."

Law sighed: "And no doubt he'll learn the truth of the prophecy and will return one day to reclaim the crown, this is a self-fulfilling prophecy."

"What's that?" Luffy asked.

Law waved his hand in a vague circle, "It means by trying to avoid his fate, the king will meet it because of his actions," he gestured to the castle, "the enchantress told him his child will kill him. So to avoid it he tries to have it killed. After the kid is grown, he'll likely want revenge and to take their kingdom back from his cruel father. Therefore the father dies, because he refused to care about the baby."

"Oh! It's a mystery,"

Law stared at Luffy then huffed out a long breath, "…Sure."

"The guard returned to tell the king the truth, the child would not bother him or the king any longer. And the king felt secure… until the enchantress returned and whispered to him the truth."

"How do you know these details?" Law asked. Surely a regular civilian shouldn't know that sort of information? But the man did not answer him.

"In the night the enchantress whispered, 'the child lives, it will return and finish the job claiming your life as it did the queen.' And she whispered, 'the guard has betrayed you, he must be dealt with… allow me.'" The man cackled at them making an impression of the enchantress, "the king agreed, and the guard was summoned before him. As he knelt before his king, the enchantress cursed him for his betrayal; neither he nor the child have been seen since."

The darkness around them vanished the second the man finished his sentence, disappearing as if it had never been there. While the music cut off leaving them with the regular sounds of the village once again. The civilian casually took a drag of his cigar acting as though nothing had happened. "Happy now?" the man asked, "doesn't matter if you are, both of you get. I've entertained you long enough." And without further ado, he left.

Law pinched the bridge of his nose thinking over what they had learned.

"So we have to beat up the king." Luffy decided after hearing the story.

"No," Law released his nose, "No, if anything we have to defeat the enchantress and crown the child." They'd likely have to save the kingdom and restore the relationship between the kid and the king. Still, they'd have to find the child in the first place, and the easiest way to do so would likely be to locate the guard and have the man lead them to where the child was left.

"But the old guy was singing about kissing." They'd have to make someone kiss someone Luffy decided, true loves kiss would end the story for sure and help them get out. "We have to make the princess kiss someone. Then we can go rescue Ace!"

Law paused, 'princess?' He exchanged a look with Luffy realizing the narrator had never given them a gender or name for the child. Law assumed it was Portgas, but it might not be. No, the most likely option would be to place Portgas in that role which seemed the most dangerous. "It's likely the child in the story is Portgas-ya, this whole event is centered on his arrest," Law pointed out regardless.

"EH?!" Luffy screamed, "We have to go save him! I'm coming Ace!" and raced off in the completely wrong direction.

"He's not even- Straw hat-ya not that way!"


	4. Be Prepared

Once the kingdom had been a place of life and joy; once it had been filled with laughter and light. It would be a common sight to see the king and queen dancing through the halls, to see the queen wandering the village and ensuring every citizen was heard. Average folk would be called to sit with them, welcomed and invited to speak of their days. Weekly meetings would occur as the peasants could bring forth their problems to be heard and repaired. In those times the idea of an heir to such a magnificent pair was rejoiced and celebrated. But that was before. Now, the kingdom was locked to all but the guards. The windows were boarded shut, and the halls were coated in cobwebs and dust. Few could claim they'd seen the king leave the castle for more than an hour.

Darkness reigned as the king stalked from room to room muttering and scowling. He did not bother with the ideas of peasants, he no longer danced or smiled. What would be the point? His beloved was dead, and his child had been the one to do it, the one that would ultimately return and finish the job. The king feared that day, every waking minute he feared it, waiting- just waiting for the end.

He told himself he was alive, that as long as he lived so too did the kingdom and the memory of his queen. It should be enough. But lately, thoughts began to plague him, the realization that should the child return and finish the job then the kingdom would be left in its grasp. The realm his queen had cared so much about would be left to darkness. He couldn't allow it, to let the prophecy to come true.

"And it wouldn't have it not for you!" Squard swung around slamming his hand against the rusted cage, his fingers curled around the bars as he snarled. "That beast of a child is the bane of my existence, and it is entirely your fault! If you have finished the job than I would have another heir by now! If you have done what I ordered of you, then I could pass on my crown knowing this kingdom would survive!"

He released the cage and smacked his open palm on the side of it knocking it ajar. From inside came a squawk as his traitorous guard tried to keep his 'feet.' As soon as he regained his 'footing' his guard spoke up with a calm voice revealing none of the intense irritation he was feeling. "Squard… I don't understand what you are talking about. You need to think calmly about this, this is a devil fruit, it's not you."

The king ignored the beast's words: "everything is steeped in death, I have no heir, no future, no wife. This kingdom will fall all because of that child." He paced around the room hands violently twitching at his side.

"Squard," The beast insisted, "this is a devil fruit, calm down."

"The child will come, it will come and kill me. I can't let that happen, I can't let it take what's mine!" he stopped, "I have to stop it. But how?" how could he ensure the kingdom was safe from it. Could he- Squard's eyes went wide with insanity. He knew what he had to do. "I will use her, she can ensure the child cannot harm me, she can control it. All I must do is capture it and marry it off, the enchantress will ensure it gives me an heir and then the child can be ended."

Squard cackled, it was so simple! "Guards! Be prepared!" he rushed away cloak billowing out behind him: "I have a mission for you." and he vanished, allowing the doors of the room to slam behind him.

In the cage the 'beast' exhaled deeply before lifting his wings and striking the metal from the side with them. He knocked the cage straight and reseated himself on the swing hanging from the top. Then he tucked his wings close to his body and scanned his surroundings for the umpteenth time.

Marco had awoken in a cage, trapped in a version of his bird form that was no bigger than a Newscoo unable to transform. Considering he was human, a pirate, and the cage wasn't sea-stone, escaping should have been a simple endeavor. That belief was proven quickly untrue, for despite the simple lock, Marco could not get himself out. His talons could not reach the bolt, nor were his feathers strong enough to act as a lock-pick. Breaking the bars was a fools dream, and knocking the cage off the table had only succeeded in bruising and Squard's attention which hadn't even given him any information. Squard ignored everything Marco said and refused to elaborate on his rantings.

"The powers of the tale-tale fruit," Marco said to himself his beak clicking together. Its identity was simple enough to recognize, many devil fruits could create clouds like the one his family had been taken by, but only one had that particular glitter attached with it. A glitter he knew with painful familiarity, he'd seen it countless times in his youth when one of his siblings had used it. He'd been abducted by the fruit before and made to play games with the children of their crew. Allowing his nieces and nephews to act as princess, dragons, knights, fairies and beyond while he had pretended to be a villain alongside the other division commanders, like Thatch.

Marco's feathers fluttered in distress as he forcefully yanked his mind away from the memory and back to the problem at hand. He was well aware the only way to escape the tale was to finish it. However, all the tales he'd encountered had been harmless, designed for children. They had not been intended for a pirate crew, nor created by a marine with Ace in her hands. If Ace had even joined them in this world, it was entirely possible Ace had not and was already gone. No, he refused to think that. Ace had to be out there somewhere, he was a character in the story and was not dead.

The story would be complicated if the marine designed it. Potentially the king had to die which would mean Squard and if Squard had to die... no that was not something Marco could do. He could not kill a member of his family and alliance, it was not an option. Not that he would have to worry about it trapped as he was. And while he had the benefit of remembering the real world - a side effect of the phoenix's healing ability - Marco had not been entirely immune considering he was trapped and miniaturized.

Marco glanced at the lock to his cage, his talons flexed on the bar he was perched on. Perhaps if he could use his haki for an instant, it would be dangerous to do so, physically he was nothing more than a regular bird. If he managed to use haki at all, he could send himself into a state where he'd need a doctor, and few would bother with what appeared to be a regular bird.

It was worth it though, he was the only one who remembered and the only one who could finish the story without deaths.

He'd have to chance it.

He flexed his talons and- the window nearest to him shattered as a pair of feet kicked right through it and two bodies collapsed in a heap in front of his cage.


	5. Remember Me

Law and Luffy landed in a heap rolling across the floor, ass over end they skidded across the ground before coming to a stop. Luffy perked straight up grinning, at the same time Law released the death grip he'd had on Luffy's clothing and shoved the younger captain away from him. Law nearly kissed the floor in relief while Luffy shot to his feet utterly uncaring how close to death they'd just been.

"Made it!" Luffy said, "now! Where is the guard?" he put his hand to his forehead and scanned the room quickly spotting the caged bird gaping at him like a human would. He opened his mouth to point it out already thinking it was 'so cool' and it reminded him of Ace's stories, but Law interrupted him.

"Why did you do that!?" he snapped planting his hands on the floor and pushing himself to his feet, "I have the uniform, we could have walked in."

"Eh, but Torao we're pirates; of course we have to break in, it's more fun!"

"fun- you aren't rubber! We could have fallen to our deaths, and I couldn't have saved us from that." He stormed toward Luffy, "Do you know what happens when a body hits the ground from that height? Because I do, and it's not pretty." Law lifted a hand ticking off his fingers as he began to list the types of injuries from such a distance, from shattered ribs shoved into organs to ruptured spleens and on.

None of which Luffy actually listened to because as Law spoke Marco decided to chime in: "Don't forget a broken skull or a brain hemorrhage."

Law stopped, turning slowly towards the table. Marco, if he'd been human, would have smirked, he'd heard every word of their conversation and realized the easily recognizable rookies both remembered the real world. More so, one of those rookies was Ace's little brother whom Marco recognized on sight after hearing so much about the teen.

"You remember the real world?" Marco asked once he had their attention.

"He talks!" Luffy screamed as if he didn't have Chopper on his crew and hadn't met Bepo from Law's. Worse yet, Law couldn't judge him, he was equally surprised by this. He knew no zoan was that size which meant this was a very odd bird. "That's so cool! Will you join my crew?"

Marco shot Luffy a deadpanned look: "No Monkey D. Luffy."

"He knows my name!"

Law understood then, the size was wrong, but it made sense. This had to be- "Marco the Phoenix."

"Where?" Luffy glanced around looking for the person Ace loved, the person with the pineapple hair like Ace had described.

"The bird Straw hat-ya, it's Marco the Phoenix."

Marco rolled his eyes, it seemed Ace's descriptions of his younger brother hadn't been that far off personality wise. "More importantly, how are you both here?" and why? Luffy was one thing Marco reasoned, Ace was his brother and his presence wasn't much of a surprise. Yes, it was reckless, but Marco could not say he wouldn't do the same for any one of his siblings. But Trafalgar Law was another story altogether, he had no association with their crew or Ace. Unless Trafalgar was here due to Luffy?

Their lack of devil fruits was another point Marco wondered about. He'd been trapped with his memories intact in his bird form due to how his devil fruit worked. While these two didn't have their fruits and did remember. Why? How did the tale-tale fruit pick and choose? Had they slipped under the radar because they weren't expected or was it something else.

"Oh! You're Ace's mate!" Luffy darted forward grabbing the lock holding Marco captive and gave it a swift yank snapping it in his hand with ease. A moment later the door swung open, Marco didn't waste a second hopping free and extending his cramped wings to their full length in a stretch. Then he flew to land on Luffy's shoulder making himself comfortable there as Luffy said: "Nice to meet you, Marco!"

"And you-" he cut off, had Luffy just called him? No, surely not.

Law took relief in the fact that he was not the only one called obnoxious nicknames by Luffy. "We should move on, we have the find the guard."

"Right, are you coming Marco? We're gonna find the guard to save Ace!"

Marco tucked his wings into his side and cocked his head: "what guard? What about Ace…" he trailed off when a memory came to him, a memory that did not belong to him. It was too bright, too focused to be a real one. In it, he was human and walking through the forest in a guards uniform with a baby in his arms. He walked toward a tower with no doors and left the baby inside before leaving it behind-

"-the story seems to involve Portgas, it's likely we'll have to crown him or arrange a true loves kiss." Law finished saying as Marco came back to himself.

Luffy seemed to have solved the mysteries of the entire world at that moment as he said: "it's your kiss Marco! Ace loves you, so you have to kiss him!" he turned toward Law, "now we have to find the guard and Ace."

"I'm the guard," Marco realized. That had been what Squard was talking about. His character in the story smuggled the princess, or rather prince, out of the village and to safety in the nearby forest where he still should be. "And Ace is in the forest." He shot a look toward the window and cluster of trees in the distance. Marco hoped, Luffy's idea was accurate, that all they would need to do was arrange a kiss between himself and Ace. In theory, Squard wouldn't be involved at all. "Hopefully that's all we will need to do, if not then we must find a way to 'crown' Ace without harming the king."

"Why?" Luffy and Law asked at the same moment.

"The king is caught in the tale. He's sent the guard to capture Ace to be placed under a spell by a woman of some sort." His wings fluttered in agitation, "though I cannot say what spell, it can't

"Eh! We have to stop him! I'll beat him up- WHY MARCO!" Marco swatted the back of Luffy's head with his wing, not too hard because the force he had in his current body was minimal, but hard enough to get his point across.

"Squard is my brother, I won't allow him to be hurt because of a marine and their devil fruit."

"Oh… then what do we doo?!" Luffy looked to Law for answers, something Marco noted and filed away.

Law tapped his chin thoughtfully, "We'll have to find Portgas first, the other guards are incompetent and cursed so it shouldn't be difficult. Not to mention we have other advantages."

"Do you two know haki?" Marco asked assuming 'other advantages' was exactly that.

"Haki?" he gained two perplexed looks from the rookie pirates and sighed; there went that advantage.

Law shook his head, "I meant that the narrative of the story should lead us to Ace. If this world is a fairy-tale the story 'wants' to be finished. What is haki?"

"I'll explain on the way," Marco told them. It wouldn't be difficult, he'd taught many of his siblings when they'd first joined the crew including Ace. It would be no trouble to teach Ace's brother and his… friend? "We should leave before the other guards do?"

"Okay!" Luffy started off without hesitation; toward the window.

"No!" Law yelled, "not again! Don't you dare!" Law slapped away Luffy's hand when he went to grab him around the middle; he swung around and started marching to the door. "We are not scaling down the castle. We're walking."

"But that's boring," Luffy whined even as he trotted after Law. Marco repositioned so the bouncing motion did not unseat him.

"How did you get up in the first place?" Marco asked Law specifically.

"We climbed!" answered Luffy.

Marco gave a sidelong look at Luffy as they left the room and wondered if Ace's more obnoxious stories were quite as tall as they always seemed. Had they really wrestled crocodiles at seven and ten? He was no longer quite so confident they hadn't.

"Insane, I am trapped here with crazy. He grabbed me and started to scale the wall."

"It was the fastest way in!"

"And the most dangerous, do you have any self preservation at all?"

"Torao, we're pirates! And I don't know what that means…"

"Of course…"


	6. Fixer Upper

Law scaled carefully down the walls of the castle ensuring each grip he made was secure before placing his weight on it. All attempts to leave the 'safe' way of the castle failed the moment they walked into the first guard. They had been incorrect in assuming Marco the Phoenix was not well known, the very first guard they'd met had instantly recognized the 'imprisoned' traitor freed and had tried to sound the alarm. Luffy had quickly knocked him unconscious solving the problem. Still, 'escaping' the castle with Marco present was no longer a simple matter and scaling the walls had become the more effective method.

It wasn't as though he hadn't had to scale a castle before - a story best left untold Law had decided - he just hadn't had to do it without the extra security of his devil fruit. Not to mention he, unlike Luffy, actually remembered he could not access that ability. Which is why at a distance farther than safe for the human body, Luffy dropped off the castle walls and hit the ground with a roll. Law's eyes rolled skyward as he continued climbing downward ignoring Marco who had been flying near them already chastising the no-longer-rubber captain.

Law noted Luffy sway slightly his palm reaching up and bracing against the wall, his eyes narrowed in thought. Was Luffy injured? It was possible the fall had caused some damage to his joints, Law would have to check later. A moment later Luffy straightened hopping into action seemingly perfectly healthy. Likely it had been the harsh landing that caused the sway. Law still kept it in mind just in case something more dangerous was occurring under the surface.

A flutter of wings sounded as Marco landed on Luffy's shoulder. He took care not to sink in talons into Luffy's skin catching instead onto the shirt he wore for purchase. A moment later Law released his grip at a safe distance from the ground and joined them. Out of habit he nearly went to knock Kikoku against his shoulder, forgetting the sword he currently wore was not Kikoku and was a regular saber.

"Where to?" he asked.

Marco ruffled his feather and gestured loosely with a wing; he'd checked the location they needed while they'd been climbing. "The south gate toward the forest. There's a tower there where we should find Ace."

"A tower?" Law arched a brow, "like Rapunzel?."

"Who?" Luffy asked shoving back the dizziness in his head. He was fine, he had to find Ace.

"Rapunzel: the princess trapped in the tower, she had magical hair, and there was a witch that trapped her there."

"Depending on the version." Marco drawled while he shot Law a considering look. He knew why he knew the story, his father's grandchildren were hidden away on their islands and loved fairy-tales. But why did Law? Perhaps a sibling? Or a secret love of fairy-tales?

"Cool! Is Ace gonna have magic hair too?" Luffy bounced slightly before stopping quickly; he didn't feel right.

"Doubtful." Law ignored the looks he was getting from the bird, he didn't have to explain his knowledge to either the Phoenix or his fellow rookie. Still, even as he thought that he couldn't quite shake the memory of reading to Lamie. Nor could he shake her excited voice as she proclaimed she and the princess Rapunzel had the same hair color; 'Can I heal people with my hair too?! I wanna do that,' 'not hair maybe, but with your hands? Like mom and dad do!' he gritted his teeth and started walking toward the north. "Let's go."

Luffy walked a step behind Law while they weaved through the city heading for the gate. Law and Marco chatted loosely about the people they were seeing around the village, most of which appeared to be Whitebeard Pirates. Luffy wasn't focusing on them however, he was focused on his breath that seemed impossible to catch. Focusing on the heat rushing through him and the blurring of his vision. All of this he pushed back by force, he couldn't worry about it and couldn't let it affect him. Iva wasn't around to give him another shot of adrenalin, he had to keep going without it.

They reached the gates, and Marco quickly hopped off Luffy's shoulder taking to the air. "I'll meet you on the other side." He told the pair before turning in the air and making a swift escape. He moved quickly flying with the stealth his regular sized form could not grant him.

Left behind Law and Luffy joined the slowly moving cue of people exiting the city, neither with any patience.

"Why can't we just go around?" Luffy asked recalling at the last moment he couldn't just stretch over the wall with Law.

"Because we have no devil-fruits," Law answered tapping his foot impatiently, one room and he could skip all this.

"We can climb,"

"They have guards on the wall, unless you'd like to punch your allies into unconsciousness?" he gestured to the wall where Whitebeard pirates were pacing and chatting. Luffy muttered under his breath but admitted the fact, he didn't want to beat up Ace's Nakama.

The numbness in Luffy's toes was spreading up his legs, his vision was blurring more and more with every moment. Luffy pushed the feeling of both away gritting his teeth; he refused to fall before he found and saved Ace.

Luffy and Law stepped forward under the noon sun, together they moved forward step by step as the gate guards worked through the line at a snail's pace. Luffy's head ached, his chest was burning, he wanted nothing more than to collapse and just give in. Soon he couldn't feel his legs, soon it took every effort he had in him to even step forward. And finally, finally, they reached the gates themselves and the guards who saluted Law.

"Captain Trafalgar," The guard at the gates greeted, "you're joining the hunt?"

"Yes," Law drawled, how convenient of them to create an excuse for him, "now are you going to let us through?"

"You and this… ruffian?"

"Are you questioning me?" Law asked in a dangerous tone.

"No sir! Of course not sir! Please go awa-ahead!"

"I thought so." The guards waved Luffy and Law through.

"Neh… Torao," Luffy blinked a few times because Law looked strange, he was too long, and all stretched out. That wasn't right because Luffy had the rubber fruit and Law had that weird bubble thing- "Torao I feel… weird," he looked away from Law, he wouldn't let some weird fuzziness stop him from finding Ace.

"Weird?" Law stepped forward through the gates. Behind him, Luffy took a step forward determined to keep moving. He put his weight down, and his knees wobbled as if they were rubber once more. Luffy staggered trying to catch himself. But when he attempted to move his hands, he found he couldn't feel them. Collapsing, Luffy fell forward toward the cobblestone when a pair of arms caught his shoulders. A muffled voice was trying to speak to him, and he tried to respond, but his mouth felt like the stuff Chopper used after giving them a shot, cotton balls he remembered.

The moment Luffy stopped Law glanced back sharply a demanding question on his tongue that he did not voice. He watched as Luffy swayed, his hand jerking in an aborted motion for purchase. Law shifted his weight grabbing Luffy's shoulders to support his body; in return, Luffy dropped nearly his entire weight onto him. Something was wrong. Touching Luffy made that clear, his skin was too hot and clammy. His hands were shaking, and his muscles were ridged. Checking Luffy's eyes, Law saw they had glazed over, from Law's observation it was frankly a miracle Luffy was even still conscious let alone on his feet. Law's mind went into over-drive cataloging symptoms and discarding others. Then he recalled Luffy's body was normally rubber, his entire body, meaning internal organs as well. How had losing that affected him? Had it at all? Law didn't know, but he had to keep it in mind.

The gate guards waiting eyed him when Law did not leave right away: "Are you going Captain?"

"Should we take him off your hands' sir?"

Law sneered as darkly as he could at the guards and turned away from them. He scooped a hand under Luffy's knees and tugged him right off his feet in Law's arms. Luffy struggled like a baby bird in his grip slurring denials which Law ruthlessly ignored. He was too furious to entertain them. How ill was straw-hat? His symptoms could not have occurred out of nowhere, why hadn't Luffy mentioned he was feeling odd? Didn't Luffy know he was a surgeon? That Marco the Phoenix and he were both doctors? How had he not said anything-

"It's not needed." Law grit out to the guards and stormed away from the gate now that he was clear.

"Neh Torao," Luffy pushed at his arms, "I'm fine- I have to… have to save… save Ace…" his eyes fluttered unconsciousness tugging at him.

"We have time to save your brother." Law instinctively started to respond like he was talking to a patient, something the Marines assumed he was incapable of doing. After all those years interacting with doctors that had no compassion or any bedside manner at all Law could not be a doctor who responded in the same way. He refused to scream and yell profanities at someone who was sick and scared. "Focus on yourself first, tell me what's wrong?"

"Mh… hot…" Luffy's head lulled as he dropped into darkness.

Law cursed and put on a burst of speed rushing for the forest to get out of sight as quickly as possible. Marco wasted no time catching up seeing how fast Law was running and the fact that he was carrying Luffy who had seemingly been fine before he'd left the pair. Had they been attacked? Was Luffy injured?

"What happened?" he demanded when he caught up. He'd left the rookies for five minutes and now one of them was unconscious! Worse yet it was the one related to Ace, the one who's death that might actually shatter his mate's entire world.

"He fell unconscious," Law reported, "he's ill and didn't mention anything."

Not as much as a surprise as Marco wished for it to be, this was Ace's little brother so of course he'd be just as reckless. Snapping his beak with a furious click, he followed Law as they moved quickly toward the forest and tried to distinguish what was wrong with Luffy. However, just looking was not enough, and Marco couldn't perform a proper exam with wings.

What did he know about Luffy? Days ago he'd been in a fight with an admiral and the Pacifista. Then he'd been confirmed to have broken into Impel Down; which meant he'd been near Magellan: "Did you check for poison?"

They crossed the tree line, Law stopped at once and lowered Luffy to the ground, Marco landed beside him inspecting Luffy shrewdly. Law hadn't checked anything yet, and he told Marco of such while praying it wasn't poison. Finding and making an antidote in the forest would be difficult if not impossible. Not to mention Law could not cut the poison out, he didn't have his powers. What he did have a doctor of the New world to assist and if the two of them couldn't figure out what was wrong and fix it, no one could.

* * *

Luffy came to feeling funny like everything was too slow. His body was not obeying him properly as he fought to open his eyes and look around. When he finally worked his eyes open, he saw he was laying on a cloak with trees all around him. Nearby was a fire, sitting beside it with his head under a wing was Marco sleeping. Beside Luffy was Law eyes open and wary as he observed the line of trees for any sign of danger.

"Torao?" he mumbled sleepily. What happened? He remembered waiting at the gate and heading to save- "Ace!" he tried to sit up, but Law stopped him with a hand.

"It's fine Straw hat-ya, sleep, we'll find your brother in the morning."

"But he-"

"Will be fine for tonight, he's probably sleeping himself." And Luffy needed the rest. If either Law or Marco got their way Luffy would be sleeping for weeks to recover from the disastrous state his body had been in, unfortunately, they were short on time, and both understood Luffy would not be waiting around for long. "Sleep," Law repeated wishing he had his devil fruit, he'd just cut Luffy's legs off and physically stop him if he had; it wasn't like Law hadn't done it before.

Luffy's fingers spasmed in the ground. He didn't want to; he had to find Ace, he had to save Ace. He couldn't sleep, what if he was asleep and Ace was hurt or worse if he died like Sabo!

"Straw hat-ya," Law stated firmly, "You need your rest if you want to defend your brother when we find him." Law reached up and placed his hand over Luffy's eyes. He held them there loosely until Luffy allowed his eyes to flutter shut.

Exhaustion tugged at him. "You'll wake me… if you see anything?"

"I will, I have to wake the bird anyway."

"…okay…" and he drifted away shifting slightly in his sleep so that he was pressed against Law's body while he slept.

Law felt Luffy move so he was curling against him as if searching out heat in the night. Law shot a look at Marco who hadn't shifted although he must have woken at their conversation, Law couldn't see the new world pirate sleeping through it. Turning away from Marco he allowed his hand to slip from Luffy's eyes and rest loosely on his shoulder instead so he knew if the reckless fool woke during the night.

It wasn't as though he didn't understand, if it had been Lamie; Law sighed at the thought, his sister was on his mind a lot lately. It wasn't much of a surprise that she was, she had loved fairy-tales, and he only knew them because he'd initially read them to her.

Turning his mind back to Luffy Law observed his patient. It had been a miracle Luffy had been walking, let alone scaling castle walls in his state. And a sliver of respect built in Law's mind, the man who hadn't hesitated to punch a celestial dragon and now had pushed his body far beyond its limits for his brother. A plan had already formed in his head when he'd seen that punch. Now with Law and Luffy both caught in the same devil fruit power… well, it seemed to Law almost like fate. A sign that he'd chosen correctly. Monkey D. Luffy would indeed be the perfect pirate to ally himself to, to destroy that man. All Law had to do was get them both through this situation.


	7. Know Who You Are

Marco led the way flying lazily through the forest ahead of Law and Luffy; he had expanded his observation haki as far as he could in every direction in search of any human presence. While armament was too much for his miniaturized avian body to handle, observation had more to do with the mind, and his was not actually that of a small bird. Marco had fuzzy memories of a tower implanted in his brain which matched the story Trafalgar Law had repeated to him. However the memory was no longer all that detailed, it floated about in his head like a dream and the longer time went on, the more of it slipped away. Marco suspected this was because he was aware he was cursed and his real memories were quickly breaking through the false ones. A similar effect had no doubt already occurred with Law and Luffy's cursed persona's.

As he flew, he kept a weather eye out for the tower itself, though Marco did not believe Ace, cursed or not, would remain there for long. Which was why Marco was using his haki; locating a tower in the forest with it would be simple, finding a single human was decidedly less so without it.

Marco was hard pressed not to frantically fly about in every direction. He had to force himself to remain at a baseline human's walking speed. He did so because he knew Ace would never approve of Marco leaving his brother behind. Especially with the state Luffy's body was actually in. It was only that previous afternoon that Law and Marco had been struggling to save Luffy's life without the medical advances they were used to. Though Marco and Law had managed, they'd both prefer Luffy remain in bed resting for the next week at least. Something Monkey D. Luffy had refused to do, and with that name, Marco was less than surprised about it. As such Marco led their group at a languid pace keeping it no matter how much Luffy and his own heart complained. While he and Law both gave Luffy searching looks every few minutes as if expecting him to suddenly keel over into unconsciousness once more.

If as if to answer his prayers Marco felt a humanoid signature toward his right; he twisted his head as he sensed the familiarity of it. Marco could not smile with a beak though he dearly wanted to as he panned toward the signature.

Ace was finally in reach.

* * *

Portgas D. Ace stood alone before a river staring down into the rippling water. There was something about bodies of water that seemed to affect him strangely, they gave him an obsessive urge to sing. Every time he caught himself staring at a stream, or any water from a cup full of it to a river, or even the rain, he felt the words on the tip of his tongue. More often then not he would succumb with or without the desire to do so, which he did not possess. A song bubbled in his throat as he waited for the crocodile he was hunting to reveal itself; Ace thought he'd smothered it until he started to whisper-sing the words in his head.

"Seven am the usual morning line-up~" He mumbled as he saw his prey slipping through the mud toward him. As it moved, it gave a ticking sound like that of a clock, something all the crocodiles in the river seemed to share, the sound was how Ace normally located them. His vocal cords vibrated as he hummed a soft tune steadily growing louder as the crocodile approached unaware of its fate to be Ace's dinner. "Stuck in the same place I've always been, and I'll keep wondering, and wondering, and wondering-" Now! Ace dove forward swinging the staff he had and striking the end against the crocodile's head with a loud crack.

"Where will my life begin!" he sang loudly in triumph. Ace gasped as he realized he'd done it again and snapped a hand over his mouth. Groaning behind his fingers, he planted his barefoot on the crocodile's body before it floated away. He forced the next sentence through his lips in a measured tone. "And I'm not singing, no today and not any day."

Reaching down Ace hefted the beast out of the water and tossed it over his shoulder. His hunt was a success, which it always was. Now he just had to head back to the 'tower' which most would consider his 'prison.' Ace scoffed at the idea, like scaling a tower was hard. He turned climbing up the river bank when something crashed through the tree line toward him. Ace froze staring at the teenager that was revealed, the first person he'd seen outside himself… ever.

"Ace!" the teen abruptly launched at him knocking into his middle and sending them both into the river. To Ace's irritation, the current caught hold of his dinner and whisked it away downstream. He had no choice but to let it go either as the second the teen touched the water he freaked screaming about an inability to swim. Ironic considering the water was waist height and he could stand if he wanted to.

"Luffy!" another person walked out of the tree line, an young man, with exasperation on his face. "You are not healthy enough to be running around, nor are you rubber. You can't throw yourself around like that."

"Doctor's orders Luffy." Said another voice that Ace couldn't locate, all he saw was an odd looking bird, but birds didn't speak.

"But Ace is here," The teen whined, Luffy apparently, "Ace, I came to rescue you!" he said. The real emotion behind those words were lost to Ace as a haze of anger rushed across his vision. Another one, another ridiculous knight here to 'rescue' the fair maiden from the dragon-guarded tower. A tower without a dragon and without a princess. A tower that most knights attempted to climb, and failed, and somehow kept getting the idea inside their heads to demand Ace 'let down his never-cut hair' so they could climb it. They didn't seem to realize Ace; A, had a knife to chop his hair with; B, even if he hadn't had a knife would not let them climb his hair; or C, Ace could climb the tower with his bare hands in his sleep. Not that a single knight cared about any of that, instead they attempted to scale his home crooning about marriage, favors, and their heroic duty. Ace had knocked several right off the rock walls out of sheer indignation.

Ace shoved the teen away from him and straightened out the shallow water. He was pissed, pissed that he'd lost his dinner because of this group; pissed that another idiot knight was here to insist he was female and in need of saving. Turning toward him he made his point as clear as he possible could: "I am not a princess and I'm not a woman. Why does everyone assume-" he made an incoherent sound of rage, "I am not in distress, I don't need help. So you lot can leave, bye-bye, have a nice day." He swung on the spot marching down the river in hopes his crocodile was caught on a rock, or that he could find a new one.

Luffy gave a scream after being dumped in the water a second time. He struggled in it until Law stepped tentatively forward testing if the loss of his devil-fruit meant the loss of his weakness in water. It did. So Law walked forward and snatched a hand into Luffy's collar, and hauled him to his feet.

"Eh? It doesn't work?" Luffy realized.

"We have no devil fruit here," Marco commented as he watched Ace leave. He'd thought with Luffy and Law's immunity to the devil fruit that Ace might also be the same. That had been going off the assumption that both Law and Luffy were D's however. It seemed he was wrong. Which meant their immunity and Marco's was caused by something else.

"Seems like Portgas-ya does not have his memories then," Law spoke up watching Ace suddenly stop and snatch a full-sized crocodile from the river which was promptly tossed over his shoulder, "finishing the story will fix that." Luffy perked up quickly, that was right, he just had to finish the story and Ace would remember him again.

"So we have to crown him," Marco mused landing on Law's shoulder, "he won't appreciate that."

"No!" Luffy argued, "Ace doesn't want to be king anymore, he wants the old man to be king- but he won't be king I will!" Marco and Law both shot him a deadpanned look, Marco because that wasn't the point and Law because-

"It'll be me actually."

"What?! No it won't!"

Marco rolled his eyes to the sky: "Focus." These children, honestly this generation was too energetic. "What do you mean 'no' Luffy?"

"The old man was singing about it," Luffy told him like it was simple, "Ace needs to have true loves kiss."

Marco mused over that, it made a small amount of sense and it had worked with the adventures the children of the crew had been involved in. "I suppose." He commented.

It was Law who asked the direct question: "is he screw- dating anyone?"

"Ace said he loved Marco!"

Marco squawked feeling suddenly embarrassed, Ace had told his little brother about him?! They'd kept their relationship secret from the crew and father for months, and he'd just told Luffy like it was nothing? And here Marco had been worried Ace would have been too uncertain to speak about them after he'd left- Marco glanced up seeing Law and Luffy both staring at him. "What?" he asked.

"Well?" Law stated, "kiss him." And pointed at the forest where Ace had wandered off.

"I'm a bird!"

"Birds can kiss… Torao can birds kiss?"

"I'm sure he'll manage."

Insane, this generation was mad. Marco ignored that in this case they had a point. In theory it would work; like the princess and the frog. Marco recalled reading the tale to one of his many nieces on their home island. If a frog could kiss and regain his form, then Marco should have no trouble either. "Fine." He'd do it.


	8. When We're Human

Ace's only warning was Luffy's voice and the flutter of wings. Like some kind of ghoulish beast they came out of the forest together; the tall one lazily, the hugging one with his arm up, and the bird like a bat out of hell.

"Get him!" Luffy yelled his encouragement while Marco cursed everything for putting him in this situation. There he was trapped as a bird babysitting a pair of rookies that had set him up to kiss his mate who didn't remember him with a beak. The sheer insanity of Law and Luffy's suggestion was enough to push him into some manner of existential crisis; the fact that he was going along with it? That was a testament to how convincing the pair could be, especially together.

Marco secretly suspected Law was enjoying himself a little too much when he worked with Luffy to convince Marco this plan would succeed. It would also not actually affect Law if it didn't work, unlike Marco. So perhaps Law was enjoying the thought of a new-world pirate of Marco's caliber acting this way. Regardless of what convinced him to act, he did. And Marco threw his small body out of the trees, and dive bombed his mate, giving Ace no time to resist him. Marco swung under Ace's instinctual first strike, a swift punch as if Ace intended to throw the flames he no longer possessed. Ace's muscle memory was still intact; not that fire would actually affect Marco in the first place. Even without the fire, Marco knew Ace's fighting style like it was his own, they'd been sparing for years, and he had long ago learned all Ace's favored moves. Muscle memory and habits were not something the curse could remove, all it could remove was the memory which sparked those habits.

Twisting under the out-stretched arm, Marco went for Ace's face and slammed his beak into Ace's lips. A moment passed, and Marco felt a distinct sense of horror enter him. He would likely never live this moment down… ever. Behind him, Luffy groaned in disappointment while Law gave a darkly amused laugh at his failure.

"What the hell?!" Ace freaked yanking back and wiped the back of his hand over his lips, "why did that bird kiss me?!"

Marco twitched feeling honestly offended Ace had reacted so strongly to it. Sure, he should have known better than to listen to the suggestions of younger siblings. Though technically speaking, Law and Luffy were not of his crew Marco still counted them in the 'younger-brother' category. Luffy most certainly did through Ace, and their reactions were what Marco typically expected, Thatch specifically would have done this. Thatch… Marco sobered quickly.

"We're trying to help you remember Ace! You're cursed," Luffy said.

"So you want a bird to kiss me?!" he shot back instantly.

"He's not a real bird," Law drawled, "he's cursed as well… and your 'mate,'"

"A bird is? You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes." Luffy and Law said at the exact same time.

"Ace," Marco himself spoke up, "they're telling you the truth."

"IT TALKS?!" Marco suddenly wished he had temples and fingers if only to massage away the headache that was quickly forming.

"He's cursed." Law repeated and stepped forward a plan in mind, "we need to free him from it, would you be willing to help us?" Marco caught on quickly. Law was trying to both convince Luffy they were still working the kiss angle, but in reality, close proximity with Ace would help them crown him.

"Why should I?" Ace asked glaring at them.

"It'll be an adventure," Luffy said, "and you love Mario, don't you want to remember Ace?"

"Marco, it's Marco."

"An… adventure?" Ace eyed them, "most people don't take 'princesses' on adventures."

Law was confused, first because what did being a 'princess' have to do with adventures, and secondly because: "You… you're male."

"I brought Vivi on an adventure, she's a princess."

"Not the point Luffy-ya."

"I am male!" Ace straightened looking ridiculously pleased for them realizing that obvious fact, "I'm in. But I don't want you kissing me again! I'm watching you bird." He pointed right at Marco with a playful wariness that did nothing to make Marco feel better.

'Way too easy,' Law thought. While Marco thought it worked into Ace's character, he rarely refused an adventure of any kind, or he hadn't after he'd joined their family. Still, now they had a new problem. How were they supposed to remove the curse from Marco? And how were they supposed to crown Ace without harming the current king while an entire army of men combed the forest for the 'princess.'

"We should take him to the fairies," Ace suggested.

"Who?" Marco asked.

"Fairies?!" and Luffy's eyes sparkled, "real ones? Can they fly? Do they grant wishes!?"

"Wishes are genies, not fairies," Law told Luffy; and of course he knew that Marco noted.

Ace scratched the side of face: "Uh, fly?… not really. They're a bit too big to fly, but they have magic, so they can probably return your-" he gestured loosely to Marco, "-bird into a human."

"Marco… please." Being called a bird by his mate was insulting even if he was a bird, "where are these fairies?"

"Deeper in the forest." Ace jerked a thumb behind him, "gotta get past the 'forbidden' part of it to reach them. I've done it a few times so I can lead you."

"Let's go then!" Luffy launched forward in a random direction. Law quickly snatched the back of his shirt forcing him to a stop.

"You need to rest, and Portgas-ya is leading the way."

"Oh… right, which way Ace?"

Ace shrugged and started forward leading their group. Marco caught up quickly and landed on his shoulders unrepentant to the glare he was receiving. Ace eyed him wary for another attempt at being stabbed in the face by a sharp beak. He made a quick 'I'm watching you' sign with his hands but did not try to unseat him which Marco found a quiet relief.


	9. On The Open Road

Ace, Law, Luffy, and Marco walked through the forest, though technically Marco was riding Ace's shoulder and doing no walking, and Luffy was mostly running from tree to tree while Law yelled at him. As the four of them 'walked,' the weather seemed to worsen with each step they took. Clouds grew overhead darker and thicker, the wind gusted and made the trees around them creak and groan. The trees themselves changed from friendly looking, to ancient with cracking faces seemingly carved into them. Despite the darker elements that might terrify a child, none of the four were faint of heart, they didn't care, nor did they even seem to notice.

"Look Torao!" Luffy contorted his face to the best of his non-rubber abilities and copied the face of a tree they were passing. Law smirked unable to quite resist snarling like one of the trees nearest him which had Luffy bursting into laughter.

Marco shot them both a look then glanced at Ace, his mate was the type to join into such things. However, since he didn't remember who he really was Ace did not give their antics a second look; he was utterly indifferent, focused wholly on escorting them to the fairies. It was eerily similar to the Ace who had refused to accept their father and family. Or the one that existed before Luffy had waltzed forcefully into his life. Marco who had not seen his mate since Thatch's death deflated, he missed the Ace he knew.

"Oh look at this one!" Luffy rushed for a tree stopping just in front of it, "Torao, it has fruit!" Luffy swung his arm in a quick circle fully intending to send it flying to grab a from a high branch. Law feeling mischievous lifted his palm planning on using his room to catch the fruit before Luffy could stretch up and grab it. Together they both stood, one with a hand up, the other punching the air when they realized the truth. Law felt the tips of his ears turn red when he remembered, he, just like Luffy, had no devil fruit. Hopefully, no one noticed- Law looked up spotting Marco smirking at them, managing to do so with his beak, which was impressive. He could smirk all he wanted to Law decided, at least he hadn't jabbed his 'beak' into the lips of his significant other.

"I'll just have to climb!" Luffy decided running for the tree and scaling it like his namesake could. He snatched a group of fruits before dropping out of the tree, and tossing one to Law mostly so Law wouldn't yell at him again like Chopper would for climbing when he was supposed to be 'resting.'

Law and Luffy bit into the fruits when an unfamiliar drawling voice echoed around the clearing: "You seem quite relaxed in my forest, perhaps it's time you learned better."

Law paused before taking a second bite and glanced up locating the source readily enough. Standing in the tree was a man in neon green tights, a loose ruffled shirt, and a cape. The man brandished a sword at them from the tree and carefully straightened the mask he was wearing that did nothing to disguise his face. On a single glance Law knew who the man was.

"Eh! You wanna fight?!" Ace and Luffy threatened at near the exact same moment.

"Vista." Marco greeted recognizing him like Law did. This man was the fifth division commander of the Whitebeard pirates another of Marco's siblings.

"How is it you know my name bird!" Vista pointed his weapon at Marco, "I have not given it!"

"It is not a surprise!" Ace called back, "you are infamous, the one known as Vista-Hood."

"Oh for the love of-" Law covered his face. Little did he know it was going to get worse.

"My lady, why do you surround yourself with such… scum! Like the captain of the guard!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING LADY!"

From the corner of Law's eye, he saw Luffy suddenly jerk and glanced fully toward him. He had crammed a dozen fruits in his mouth at the same time and was now choking. Luffy had forgotten his mouth and throat could not stretch. Exasperated despite having forgotten himself once, Law stormed over to Luffy's side to save him while Ace and his 'brother' Vista argued.

"Allow me to save you from these brutes my lady!"

"Stop calling me 'my lady,' and I don't even want or needed to be saved! I'm helping them!"

"Helping, but why?"

"Luffy stay still," Law ordered grabbing him from behind and lifting his hands into the correct position for the Heimlich maneuver. He jerked his hands up as Luffy struggled grabbing at his throat that had fruit juice and pieces running down it.

"The bird is cursed, we're visiting the fairies to save him or whatever."

"My name is Marco," Marco was beginning to sound a bit defeated by repeating his name Law noted. It only made sense though, they'd been traveling and Luffy had still yet to once call Marco by his proper name.

Luffy choked spitting out the fruits and gasping for breath: "my fruit!" he wailed more upset by the loss than by the choking.

"Just go get more," Law said, "and eat them one at a time!" he added before Luffy could do precisely that.

"Then I shall aid you my lady!" Vista suddenly volunteered jumping right out of the tree and landing before them with surprising grace.

"NOT A LADY!"

Marco covered his eyes with his wing: "Just… fine."

"Eh? Is Vista coming with us Maggie?" Luffy asked from the tree. Law counted down from ten waiting for the imminent breakdown from Marco the second Luffy said it. He was down to the second, as he reached 'one' he heard Marco explode.

"WHY DID YOU USE HIS NAME?!" Marco demanded and pointed at Vista.

"I will come! If only to keep an eye on that guard!" he pointed right at Law, "lest he takes advantage of the lady."

Ace's sound of frustration was only to be expected and perfectly matched Marco's. Law supposed there was a reason they were in a relationship, synchronized fury seemed like something couples did.

"Come along men, we are to escort this group to the fairies," Vista called, and men Law had not noticed or sensed dropped out of the trees. Luffy and Ace both jumped not expecting it, while Marco looked unsurprised.

"You sensed them?" Law asked the new world pirate.

"I've been using haki… I wasn't concerned since I recognized most of them." He'd explained haki to the pair already entirely too used to doing so with his newer siblings. He'd lectured them out of habit about the importance of learning at least one form of it before entering the New World. Law and Luffy had both mentally decided to ensure they learned how to use it, to keep their respective crews safe.

"The few you didn't are from my crew." He had spotted Shachi hiding in the back in an outfit similar to Vista, and Ikkaku toward the middle. Law's gaze didn't linger since neither Shachi nor Ikkaku gave any inclination they remembered who he was. Though Law would be keeping an eye on them to ensure they came out of this situation with only an embarrassing outfit to live down.

"Do not fear the forest my lady!" Vista suddenly spoke up as a particularly violent looking tree appeared, "the trees are harmless."

"Not a lady and not afraid, I've taken this path before."

"We will show you a surefire way to be unafraid in this dark place."

"Not-… are you even listening to me? At all? Is he listening to me?" Ace asked Marco on his shoulder who shrugged; the general verdict would be a no, Vista was not listening.

"Come on men! We shall sing."

"Please don't," Law said.

"Ooh singing! They're gonna sing!" Luffy cheered.

"Where I was a little boy, and the sun was going doooown~" as Vista started the group around him quickly joined in… as did the sound of instruments, except there weren't any in hand. Law shot a look around the forest looking for more of the group. He caught Marco's eyes, and Marco shook his head, there wasn't any, the music was coming from nowhere, again.

"The darkness and the shadows would always make me froooown~."

Vista waltzed forward marching toward the trees. Luffy made a face as he did and approached Law. "I don't like this song… Vista doesn't either."

"No," Law agreed, the man's singing voice seemed indifferent, uncaring, more monotoned than anything. "He could just be tone deaf though."

Marco flapped in an agitated way, "He's not, not normally."

"Learn to face your fears, you'll see that they can't hurt you, just laugh and make them disappear."

Ace leaned their way and said under his breath: "Don't get me wrong, I like music as much as the next person. But what's the point if you don't like it yourself?"

"Ha. Ha. Ha." The group of men and Vista sang directing their voices at the tree.

"Next thing you know they'll start singing 'in the Marines,'" Law hissed a bit darkly.

Luffy shuddered having heard that song far too many times thanks to his Grandfather. He and Ace had been forced to sing it many times during their childhood; that and- "Or 'Seniram Eht Noij.'" Which Luffy hadn't understood, not until Sabo had told him the real meaning of that strange lyrics which were backward for 'join the Marines.'

"They're only singing because of a marine, that's not free." Luffy lowered his hat over his head, "no one is free here… I don't like it."

"They won't be like this for long Straw hat-ya."

"Right."

"See my lady! Tis safe with us!"

"That's it!" Ace clenched his fists and grabbed at the middle of his shirt and yanked it brutally. The cloth ripped straight up the middle and fell to the sides like a vest revealing Ace's chest. "See! No breasts! I'm a man!" he felt triumphant at that moment, confident that Vista-hood and his robbers would see the truth as Marco, Luffy, and Law so easily had. Unfortunately Ace found himself deflating as the group before him freaked.

"M'lady! Your honor!" cried Ikkaku.

"My Lady!" Vista-hood's voice reached a pitch that had Marco cringing as he launched toward his men with hand over his eyes: "you heathens! Avert your gaze!" and tripped over the roots of one of the trees he'd been singing about.

"Worry not my lady! I shall take responsibility for this; will you marry me-" Ace's fist came flying as he sacked Sachi right in the face acting a split second before Marco could with the haki coated talons he'd intended to use, regardless of what it would do to his body.

Law watched his crew-mate fly past him and rolled his eyes skyward. He wasn't even going to comment on that; Sachi was better off punched by Ace than either married while cursed, Law glanced to the side and grimaced, or facing Marco's fury.


	10. To The Fairies They Draw Near

"Behold!" Vista spread his arms revealing a pathway of mushrooms. The trees had grown lighter and the sky clearer as they had progressed out of the darker levels of the forest. What lay before them was the home of the fairies. As they approached Marco and Law raised their guards, the fairies abilities and identities were unknown to them and the visit had been suggested by someone who was cursed. Neither Marco nor Law would be caught unawares if this ended up being a trap.

"We are here!"

"Just down this path and we'll reach the fairies village." Ace explained.

"Neh Ace how do you know?"

"I've visited a few times." Ace made a face in remembrance of the group that lay there, he usually avoided this part of the forest, but he also knew it was the fairies alone that could fix the cursed bird presently perched on his shoulder. In fact, through the entire walk Marco had not left that spot. Ace to his quiet surprised found he quite enjoyed having Marco sit there.

"Go forth my lady!" it also helped to have Marco there since Ace had been a moment away from rearranging Vista-Hood's face several times already. He'd not done so purely because he'd unseat Marco with any 'punching' he decided to do.

Grinding his teeth together Ace started down the path lined with mushrooms, Luffy followed quickly, and Law strode after him. Surprisingly Vista and his group also decided to pursue but at a slight distance. They remained quiet as the trees thinned and cottages were revealed. They were much larger than expected for 'fairies.' Instead of ankle height buildings, the group were faced with homes larger than what was considered normal in the real world. In the middle of the village, a large tree truck table was set up with mushroom chairs grown beside it. All along the table were people, males and females with sparkling glitter covered clothing. The wings attached were obviously fake with straps clearly shown holding the wings in place. Each 'fairy' was holding a wand of some kind, which appeared to be a stick with a simple star made of carved wood and painted the same shade as each fairies own wings.

"No." Marco groaned.

At the head of the table was a monarch pair. One was Ivankov with a female body in a form-fitted red sparkling gown with a plunging neckline, a couple of purple wings were attached to her back, and a silver crown was perched on her head. Sitting beside her was the reason for Marco's immense horror.

Law rather daringly turned to Luffy upon seeing the figure and said: "if they retain their memories after this battle I suspect we'll end up killed regardless simply for witnessing them in this state."

Luffy laughed as Marco bemoaned his entire existence. For sitting beside Ivankov as the king of the fairies could be no other person but his father. Thankfully Edward Newgate was not wearing a dress, but silver tights that glittered in the light. His shirt resembled something Vista would approve of but that Izo would burn on sight, a black ruffled blouse. Which alone could be accepted, if not for the enormous fake white wings on his back and what was his signature weapon, the bisento, which had a star stuck on the top of it.

"You two! Not a word about this!" Marco said threatening them with his miniaturized wing.

Law and Luffy took on equally innocent expressions, except Law's was a promise that he'd do the exact opposite and Luffy's was a terrible liar.

"Your grace," Ace spoke up stepping forward not paying any attention to any of them since he'd already seen the fairies and had no idea one was his adoptive father and captain.

"Young Ace," Whitebeard boomed in greeting: "You visit us again. We welcome you back."

"And you brought friends!" Ivakov hopped to her feet clapping eagerly: "do introduce us!"

"Er… yeah, that's Vista-Hood and his 'men,' then that's Torao-" Ace gestured over his shoulder. Law immediately went to argue that even as Marco shot him a superior look for someone else was finally being named something wrong. "Then that's Luffy-"

"Hi, Iva-san!" Luffy called waving.

"-and this is Marco, he's the reason we're here… he's cursed."

"CURSED?!" fairies all around shot to their feet and surrounded Ace and Marco like a mob. Marco flapped his wings in agitation, one fairy who he recognized as Whitey-bay grabbed hold of the wing itself, and he quickly stilled as she stretched it out to inspected it.

"Poor dear," Whitey-bay said, "we'll help won't we?" she asked Ivankov and Whitebeard who had stood together and approached hand in hand.

"But of course!" Ivankov stated, "come young Ace, bring your friend near and we shall see what we can do." Beckoned Ace stepped forward while Marco gently extracted his wing from his sister's fingers. Ace removed Marco from his shoulder and gently placed him on the table before the king and queen. Luffy stayed behind exchanging a look with Law, they very well might be freed in a few moments.

Marco perched quite still as Ivankov and Whitebeard circled him. Ivankov brandished her fake wand, bits of glitter came off it settling on his tail-feathers. Marco tried to flick them off, which failed and he sighed knowing he'd have to preen his feathers soon. Glitter was impossible to get out, he'd learned that from his nieces a long time ago.

"Yes," Ivankov spoke up suddenly, "we can fix this!"

"Hold yourself still," Edward Newgate cautioned Marco, "and trust in us to release you."

Together they stepped forward wands out and started to hum. Their wands flicked the air and wind picked up surprising most of them. The glitter on Marco's tail-feathers began to spread covering him quickly and hiding him from sight. Then, he started to grow, and grow quickly. Within moments of starting, the light dispersed and Marco found himself standing there fully human once again. It had been near as seamless as his regular transformation, beyond the sharp pins and needles that had taken over his body from the magic involved.

Testing his limbs, Marco glanced down discovering he was in his regular clothing and as far as he could tell the change had been perfect. He ran his fingers through his hair and nodded firmly. "Thank you." He said to his father and Ivankov before turning and focusing on his mate.

Marco smirked to find Ace was gaping openly at him with attraction and as he gave Ace a familiar half-lidded look, he watched his mate swallow and lick his lips. "So," Marco teased, "are you sure you don't want me kissing you?"

"Uh…" Ace breathed incoherently.

Smug Marco leaned forward sliding off the table and shifting until he leaning just slightly over Ace. He tilted his head showing off his neck knowing full well that Ace enjoyed it. "Or do you?" he asked flicking his eyes toward Luffy and Law who were waiting. Luffy looked ready to vibrate off his feet prepared for the curse to be broken, while Law was giving him a clear 'get on with it' expression.

"I... wouldn't say no." Ace admitted.

Marco felt his heart give a traitorous little jump, that had been nearly the exact way Ace had answered the first time Marco had offered when they hadn't been mates and had only just been dating. That had been the day he'd decided to reveal his attraction after catching Thatch trying to calm a drunk Ace the night before. Ace had been laying flat on one of the mess hall tables moping about his crush on Marco. While Marco suspected Thatch had timed that particular event exactly so that Marco would confess, especially since there had been bets involved.

"Well then." He said closing the distance between them. Marco sealed their lips together forgetting quickly the reason he'd done so as he became distracted by Ace's reaction and presence. The feel of his mate who he hadn't adequately kissed or been near for months. His mate who had been arrested and brought into impel down. Marco could still remember seeing Ace chained up and kneeling beside that marine woman. The sheer terror he'd felt in that moment, he didn't have proper words for it. And to hold Ace now, to have his mate right by his side safe, the sheer relief he was feeling could not be described.

_"I wonder if phoenixes are like swans."_ Thatch once said to him.

_"In what way?"_ he'd asked.

_"Swans mate for life you know."_

He didn't know if he'd ever take a mate again if anything happened to Ace, he couldn't imagine it. The very idea that Ace would die made his heart constrict and his stomach bottom out. But Ace was safe, Ace was with him, Ace was here.

"Are they done yet?" he heard Luffy asked as he forced himself to pull back.

"No," Law answered as Marco inspected their surroundings. He felt a surge of despair when he realized nothing had changed, they were still trapped- Ace suddenly grabbed him and yanked him back sealing their lips together once more. This time Ace took control of it his hands gripping at Marco's arms like he always did. He moved precisely like always had. As if his memory hadn't been lost.

Marco pulled back again as Ace growled: "Ace?" he asked not daring to hope.

"Marco."

"Ace?" Luffy called, and Ace furrowed his brow.

"Luffy?" still holding Marco's arms Ace turned and spotted his brother. "Luffy!?" he yelled a bit louder, "what are you doing here? Wait where the hell are we?!"

"Ace!" Luffy launched at them or tried to. He'd forgotten he wasn't rubber once again and ate dirt as he face-planted. Marco watched as Law out of sheer habit by that point leaned down slightly, grabbed Luffy's collar and then pulled him back to his feet. Luffy shot Law a bright smile that had a thought niggling at the back of Marco's mind before he stepped back allowing Ace and Luffy to embrace and reconnect properly. "Do you remember me now Ace?"

"Of course I do… why wouldn't I?"

Luffy quickly launched into an explanation that to Marco made little sense but Ace seemed to understand without any effort. As Luffy did so, Law joined his side and said: "We'll need a new plan, the kiss is a bust. It's likely we'll have to finish the tale instead… we'll have to find a way to crown Ace."


	11. Be Prepared: Reprise

"Red… it shall be red."

"Your grace?"

King Squard did not look at the confused guard that had spoken, his eyes remained firmly on the ballroom before him. "It shall be red, red for the color my beautiful wife bled when the princess ripped out of her. Red… for the princesses coronation ball. I shall surround her with the color of blood."

"Of… of course your grace." The men shuffled a bit, "but are you certain? Certain the princess will be found?" certain that color was the right choice?

"The guards will find her," Squard stated with full confidence, "for they know the cost if they do not."

The peasants watching exchanged concerned looks, they agreed at once to just go with the kings' demands for it would be much safer for them if they did. They'd decorate the palace ballroom in red, the red of freshly fallen blood, for a ball that might not even occur. The Princess had been missing for twenty years, the guards had been searching for her all that time the chances of her returning to become a prisoner under the crown was unlikely. However, the peasants did not know what the king did, they did not know the captain of the guard had left with the traitor, that the captain was sure to return the princess to him.

* * *

On the outskirts of the fairy village Law, Luffy, Ace, and Marco stood around to chat and discuss their options. Ace was quickly caught up to date about what had happened, while Law put forth his theory about what would have to happen.

"You want to make me king?" Ace asked uncertain about how felt about it.

"Without killing the king," Marco pointed out, "the king is Squard."

"Squid?" Luffy rocked on his heels having forgotten already who Squard was.

"One of our brothers,"

"Oh okay,"

"Finishing the story seems like the best option to escape the curse," Law continued, "it implies Ace will have to become king replacing his 'father.'" Two pairs of eyes flickered toward Whitebeard who was chatting happily to his 'queen.'

"It'll be temporary at least, I have no intentions of being a 'noble' for long."Ace sneered the word thinking about Sabo for the briefest moment. His brother would probably come back to life just to punch him if Ace became a noble.

"Just until the curse breaks."

"But how do we make Ace king?" Luffy wanted to know, "without hurting his Nakama?… Neh Torao's, Squid king isn't pirate king right? Because I'm gonna be the-"

"It's a different kind." Law cut him off smiling slightly already knowing where that sentence was going.

"The question of the day," Marco muttered, "my first instinct would be to storm the castle, just stage a coop, the four of us together can handle the guards as they have no memories. However, a battle could get someone killed and in this case, that someone could be our allies and crew."

"Sneak in?" suggested Ace, "Trafalgar is a guard isn't he, sent to capture me? Could get ourselves imprisoned, then he can free us later, and then we can imprison Squard and take over."

Marco nodded to Ace, that was possible.

"A BALL!" suddenly squealed Ivankov from the village.

The four all glanced her way at the same moment, and Law heaved a sigh. "Of course."

"A party? I wanna go to a party! Will they have a feast!?"

"A ball? We can use it," Marco stated, "we'll infiltrate as guests and capture Squard forcing him to surrender the kingdom to Ace. Once Ace is crowned we'll hopefully be freed."

"They better have some meat." Was all Ace could say to that well aware a ball was nothing like the party Luffy was excited for. Then again, it might very well end up that way considering the four of them were attending, and no real ball could survive a pair of D's, let alone the three that were actually going.

"We'll have to recruit allies," Law stated, "your crewmate Vista and his men, the… fairies, as well."

"I'll ask Iva-san!" Luffy volunteered, "come on Torao!" he grabbed hold of Law's arm and dragged him away with another word. Ace heaved a sigh of relief, he had not wanted to speak to his father who didn't remember him, let alone when the man did not because of him, because of something he'd done.

"Ace." He cringed as Marco spoke his name in that particular manner. "I'm angry." Marco admitted softly, "because I can tell you're afraid to be alone with me… what do you think is going to happen?"

"Nothing…"

"Ace please, don't lie to me."

He hissed snapping his head toward his mate: "I should think it would have been obvious Marco, I put us all at risk, I disobeyed a direct order. I'm the reason Pops and Vista look like that and are acting like that, it's all because of me… this is my fault."

"It's not," Marco said as if it were the simplest thing in the world, "it's not your fault Ace, and not a single one of us blames you. If we had, well… we wouldn't have come in the first place." He stood walking close to Ace's side, "We're not a normal crew Ace, you know that. We're a family. Any one of us would throw down their lives for you just as you would for us."

Marco reached up cupping Ace's face: "We might be upset or even furious at you for risking yourself like that, for acting without asking for help. But the fact that we're allowed to be that way is a relief. Ace, we came- I came so close to losing you… and I can't… I can't handle that." Marco stared Ace down showing him exactly what he was feeling, he waited for Ace to get it. To see, to understand. Only when Ace's expression lost its defensiveness did Marco allowing his own expression to relax. "be aware though, you're probably 'grounded' for life."

Ace barked a laugh recalling the first time he'd seen one of his brothers 'grounded,' which was to say he'd been sent to bed without dinner by a playful Thatch.

"And after that, we'll hunt down Teach together," Marco's smile turned bloodthirsty, "he will pay." They were a family, but they were also pirates, Teach's fate would not be kind once they got their hands on him.

"But of course we shall attend!" cried Ivankov from a distance, "Princess Ace will ascend the throne as if her right!"

Marco and Ace glanced toward their father and Ivankov who were speaking to Law and Luffy, who were standing awfully close together.

"We should go speak to Vista." Ace said.

"And escape this place as soon as possible." Marco agreed.

* * *

Ace was witnessing something amazing; his brother… was sharing food. The four of them were planning with the fairies and Vista's men on how exactly they would crown Ace, though he wasn't thrilled about the idea and thought it was highly unlikely the plan would properly work with individuals like Luffy in the mix. Which was mostly why Ace was not paying attention to the planning and was instead paying attention to Luffy and the moment in history currently occurring.

Thinking back Ace could count on one hand the number of times Luffy had voluntarily given him food instead of becoming rabid over the idea of sharing. Now he was watching Luffy offer a virtual stranger pieces of food - fruit admittedly and not meat - off his plate to Trafalgar Law.

"Ace are you paying attention?" Marco demanded.

"Yup definitely." He answered out of sheer habit.

"I think he is not." Ivankov ruined his attempts for the woman was likewise watching Luffy and Law: "Princess Ace is watching the young guard and thief." Ivankov swooned a bit, "such a lovely story, star crossed lovers from different walks of life falling in love."

"Story?" Marco repeated his gaze sharpening.

"Love? I don't think that's what's happening." Ace argued absolutely refusing to think about Luffy in a relationship, he didn't even think Luffy was interested in people in that way. Though that might just be coming from a siblings point of view.

"This is because they deny their feelings!" Ivankov proclaimed suddenly looking quite excited, "I shall have to help them realize the truth!"

"What?" Ace swung around looking at Ivankov while alarm crossed Marco's face.

"Wait- I don't think that's-"

Ivankov rushed out of her chair ignoring them both, her wand in hand she began to flick it toward Luffy and Law. The pair didn't see it coming, not until a wash of glittering pink dust was falling over Luffy who yelled in surprise, his voice low and deep that began to steadily grow more and more high-pitched before the cloud dissipated.

Luffy stared in abject horror as Ivankov happily clapped her hands together: "It will be far simpler to confess now my dear Luffy."

And then Marco said it, unable to help it after days of hearing his name butchered: "don't you mean 'my dear Lucy.'"


	12. Impossible, It's Possible

Ace, Marco, Law, and Luffy all stood around waiting for their 'forces' to get themselves ready for 'battle.' Vista and his warriors were all preparing arrows and bows despite none of them actually being archers in their original life. The fairies meanwhile were preparing large bags of fairy dust for reasons Marco did not even want to begin understanding.

"I think he remembers." Ace told Marco glancing idly at Luffy who kept catching longer hair on things, from Law's sword, to the buttons on his clothing, he'd gotten a mouthful of it when he'd turned too quickly to say something to Law. "He's the type of person would do it just because it amuses him." Ace was, of course, speaking of Iva and Luffy's new gender.

Marco shrugged tugging lightly on the jacket he'd been given. At the very least Luffy's female body was not obviously female, and Luffy had gotten away with the same clothes he always wore. It was to the point where he, she, hadn't even buttoned the shirt he wore closed. Not that any of them really cared that he hadn't, Ace was a sibling, Marco didn't look at women that way and was a doctor, he'd seen it all. Likewise, Law appeared to be indifferent because he was a surgeon.

Looking at them all in their real world clothing, armor, and stolen rags. None of them looked like they were about to attend a ball and technically they weren't, they were going to storm a ball.

"There you are!" Marco and Ace cringed at the exact same moment as their father made an appearance in the glittering, sparkling silver gown with the fake wings attached to his back. "My lady, Captain, Sir and… ma'am." He greeted them all, each of them cringing for separate reasons. "To the ball you will all go! However you cannot go like this!" his voice boomed and had they been lesser individuals they would have covered their ears with the volume,

Marco felt a sliver of foreboding run down his spine, and Ace tensed warily.

"Impossible, for a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage!" their father sang out suddenly. He brandished his wand toward a nearby pumpkin as he sang the words, a strike of glitter hit it and then it grew bit by bit until it reached the size of a small ship like two of Ace's Striker or the Mini-Merry the Straw-hat pirates owned. Then it turned bright gold changing into a full-sized carriage.

Marco looked away and requested: "Tell me when it's over."

"Why are you complaining?" Luffy demanded "Iva turned me into a girl!" he-she? Gestured to her-his chest.

"Impossible for a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage~" sang their father as he turned his wand at their group. There was no avoiding the blast of glitter for any of them, it was faster than Admiral Kizaru's shots of lights, and none of them were at the speed they should be to avoid it. Ace and Marco might have manage regardless, but they didn't expect an attack from their father.

Luffy released a yell that came out as more of a shriek due to his new vocal cords as the shirt and shorts he'd been dressed in formed together changing into a shimmering gown. His hair twisted above his head forming an elegant design which quickly collapsed when Luffy shook his head like a dog to get rid of the pins. At the same time, Marco and Law's more lackluster outfits changed into a luxurious fabric that the wealthy had a habit of wearing. Marco grit his teeth choosing not to rip the jacket off, it was a decent disguise for the ball, he could handle it well enough for the time being. Ace on the other hand hadn't lasted a moment. His clothing had changed into a monstrosity in his opinion. Bright pink and obnoxiously puffy, it something very similar to a princess Marco had once seen from a distance with a golden tiara perched on his head. It had looked decent on her but on Ace… it was harder to say. "No! Not happening!" Ace grabbed as the frills and yanked, but they held fast.

"Ready for battle my dears?" their father said, "no weapon will pierce these clothes of mine! They will protect you well!"

"Not. If. I. Get. Them. Off!" Ace yanked and tugged looking for a zipper or buttons or anything to rip. "Trafalgar! Give me your sword."

Law straightened the bow-tie sitting at his neck and smirked in dark amusement, "No."

"Why you-"

"Ace," Marco spoke up, "it could be worse; at least you're getting away with keeping your gender." Mostly because everyone cursed thought Ace was a woman. "Your sister on the other hand." They all looked to the side at a defeated Luffy who had a cloud over his head.

"Alright there Lucy?" taunted Marco as revenge for the constant nicknames.

Luffy launched to his feet: "that's it! I don't approve of your relationship! I'll tell Ace."

"Standing right here."

"Sure thing Lucy."

Luffy made a sound of aggravation that they couldn't quite translate to a proper sentence.

"Now you're ready for the ball and battle! Always remember to accessorize!"

"When did pops become Izo?" Ace grumbled.

"Where is Izo?" Marco countered, "he'd love this."

"Bibidi bobidi bu!" the four of them were thrown off their feet and dumped into the carriage without further ado. They all landed at the same time readjusting to the sudden shift in positioning.

Moments passed in silence, then Law asked: "did he give you heels?"

"No," Ace answered in relief, he had flats instead.

Luffy inspected his feet, the shoes reminded him of ones Nami had worn, and thought Nami would be having much too much fun in this situation. She'd have blackmailed them all and insisted on the fairies giving her a hundred different outfits… it would have been fun like that. Zoro would have been fighting with Sanji, and both would be fighting as hard as Ace was to get the dress off. Chopper could have pulled the carriage and been a mighty steed to carry him into battle. Brook would have loved the music. Robin would be trying to learn the history of the lands and would have liked to have dressed up with him. Usopp and Franky would have been there too, lying or building… Luffy missed them.

The carriage started forward, and Marco glanced out the window. They had a few hours until they returned to the castle, plenty of time to finalize their plan. Not that two of their number would follow that plan. Ace was notorious for ruining them, and from what he'd heard of Luffy, the rookie was the same way.


	13. So Close

Luffy and Law had slipped into the ballroom early, they'd gone in pairs, robbers and fairies without their wings; Law had seen the fairies simply pulling the attachments off, but they claimed they were using an illusion to hide them. Marco and Ace were sneaking in the back because Ace wanted to make a big entrance suited for a pirate, Marco had agreed merely because it ran along the lines of his plan. This had left Law and Luffy together - which Ivankov had been quite insistent on, which had confused them both.

The ballroom was designed entirely in the shade of red, all the decorations, from the table tops to the curtains, even the food had red accents and toppings. It was making Law positively twitchy, the shade in such quantities was making his eyes burn. Honestly, Law saw a lot of red in his career, he was the Surgeon-of-death for a reason, even he could say this was too much. It didn't help that the accents of Luffy's dress was the same color, though it did make him, her? blend into the background.

Luffy, as they walked into the ballroom, located Squard and shot him a cross look. Luffy wanted nothing more than to punch Squard and break the curse right away. One punch would be all it would take, and then they could put the crown on Ace's head, and then Luffy would get the pleasure of knocking him out. Marco and Ace had both told him he couldn't though, they wanted to win without hurting their Nakama and Luffy understood, mostly.

All around the room guards stood, the currently armored versions of the Whitebeard pirates, the group from Impel Down, and one or two of Law's crew. The group scanned the ballroom looking for any sign of Ace who had yet to be captured, not that the King knew that yet. The guards were growing more desperate by the minute aware if Ace failed to make an appearance their fates were in the air. From a distance Law noticed several guards had seen him, considering he was the captain they no doubt expected him to hand deliver the princess. It would be disastrous if the guards and therefore Squard picked him out too soon, the king might realize something was off and ruin their plan. He'd need a reason to put them off from approaching, the easiest of which would be to take to the ballroom floor.

"Dance with me." Law turned to Luffy taking his hand, he escorted Luffy toward the dance floor. A guard who had been about to approach stopped his forward motion and stepped back to wait for the song and their dance to end. But by then it would be too late.

Law smoothly took Luffy's waist and began to lead him through the slower song. Luffy struggled not liking the slow tune and since he had never done that sort of dance himself he found it difficult to move properly. Law hadn't either, but he was decent at copying the people around them.

"I don't like this dance Torao." Luffy made a face; had his dress been floor length he would have tripped over it, thankfully Whitebeard seemed to know better and had placed him in a shorter one. Which looked a bit odd in the ballroom, Luffy was decidedly casual with his flats and straw-hat compared to the full sized ball-gowns around them. Law could say it fit him though, something about it just clicked.

"Get over it, your brother will show himself soon. Lucy-ya."

Luffy gripped his hand tight in protest of the nickname and Law shot a smirk at him ignoring it easily. The song finished and a new one started with a slightly faster beat and an actual singer. The people around them shifted almost in synchronized harmony causing Law and Luffy to quickly get into position with them.

_"You're in my arms, and all the world is calm,"_ began the song.

Law pulled Luffy closer with a smirk. He splayed his hand across Luffy's back dancing with care to avoid Luffy's less than graceful feet. Nearby Law spotted Marco peering out from one of the back rooms; they locked eyes, and Marco inclined his head in a nod. They would act after the current song ended. Law gave Luffy a quick heads up, they were going to move with the last notes. Their mission was to knock out as many guards as they could without permanently harming any of them.

The music picked up, and the dancers twisted together in a large circular motion. Law lifted Luffy in a slight twist before returning him to his feet and returning to the slower tempo. After some mental debate Law made his choice. He'd intended to bring it up at one point, right then was a good as time as any.

"Two years from now," Law decided, "there is someone I want to defeat and I have a plan to do so." They twisted with the group hands up, then down as the tempo increased once more. "I want to ally with you to do it."

_"So close, was waiting. Waiting here with you."_

"Two years." Luffy repeated his lips pressed together in a thoughtful expression: "two years is a good amount of time."

"Time for what?"

"Training." Luffy allowed himself to be spun by Law, "Marco-" Law snorted before he could continue, of course Luffy knew Marco's actual name; did that mean Luffy knew his as well and he just refused to use it? "-Marco said the New World is full of people like Kuma, and he's too strong. I need to train so I can protect my Nakama next time." Luffy would have to find a way to tell them. He had come too close to losing his crew just like he'd lost Sabo; he would never allow that to happen again. Luffy focused back on Law: "who do you want to beat up?"

"The Yonko, Kaido." 'Among other people,' Law thought.

"Kaido?… okay." Luffy nodded firmly, "then we're friends then."

'Friends?' Luffy had said that before at the beginning of this adventure but somehow it felt different this time. Law still couldn't resist correcting him: "Allies, not friends." Which Luffy naturally ignored completely, he-she wanted to be friends with Law. It must be a friendship that she wanted, her stomach was doing all kinds of weird things around Law at the idea of them not being friends.

The singer picked up the notes as he sang out: _"So close to reaching, that famous happy end."_

Nearby Marco leaned against the wall nodding toward Vista who had gotten into position. His eyes lingered on Law and Luffy dancing, and he watched how relaxed they were together and wondered.

"Why are you staring at them like that Marco?" Ace asked finally able to walk without tripping every two seconds; he'd ripped apart his dress, stealing a kitchen knife when they snuck in. The excess on the sides had been sheered off, and the shawl around the top had been cut up the arms for better movement. He'd attempted to simply steal clothing and change, but every uniform he touched seemed to be cursed and would vanish the moment his fingers made contact. "Something wrong?" Ace nearly panicked at the danger his brother could suddenly be in, his thoughts sprinting away from him.

"It's… nothing." He turned away focusing back on Squard.

_"Almost believing, this one's not pretend."_

"Marco," Ace insisted.

Marco debated if he wanted to put his thought into Ace's head. Scratching his chin he decided to answer: "it's… I'm just wondering if Luffy's 'true love's kiss' idea isn't entirely inaccurate."

"What makes you say that… wait no, no tell me you don't agree with Ivankov! Marco tell me you don't!" Ace shot a look at his brother: "you think Luffy and that guy, the 'Surgeon of death' are a good fit? True loves kiss, curse-breaking kiss, quality?! They don't even know each other!"

"It's just a thought Ace, I'm probably wrong." And he hoped he was, he had a feeling a kiss between the two of them was a long way off.

_"So close, so close."_

Luffy and Law got close as the song reached its last notes. Both of them lingering a moment standing a breath apart, they stared at each other in a way that had Marco wondering it he was wrong; that perhaps they really were going to kiss. Then the song ended, and the two broke apart both ready to fight and to escape the curse by crowning Ace. The battle had begun, and they could only hope this plan succeeded without any deaths.

_"And still so far."_


	14. Mob Song

As the music ended Ace and Marco stepped forward revealing themselves to the entire guard and to the king in person. "Squard!- er… Father!" Ace proclaimed pointing his finger at Squard stumbling over his words slightly. Marco had told him to pretend he was in the middle of a story and he was doing his best, but Ace had never acted before and wasn't sure how to go about it. "I've come to uh…" he glanced at Marco who gave him a 'go-on' hand sign. "…reclaim the crown, so… surrender! And no harm will come to you."

"You have come, daughter!"

"Son!" he corrected instantly.

"Have you enjoyed the gift I have prepared for you daughter? A ball just for you!" Squard spun in the spot a mad look across his face: "Did you like the color? The color of blood, the same blood that coated your mother when you ripped out of her."

Ace's heart seized his eyes flying wide. It was a story, and that wasn't Squard's actual thoughts or personality. Despite that, and even though Ace knew it was a lie because of what a marine had done, those words struck him like a physical blow. His hands shook as he thought about his real mother, about Portgas D. Rouge and he couldn't stop himself from wondering; did she blame him? He killed her like the character based on him had killed the mother in this world. Had she regretted it? Regretted him?

Luffy flew out of the crowd, and his newly changed small fist slammed home in the middle of Squard's face. He had a shocking amount of physical strength for his transformed body, no doubt because regardless of the change in gender Luffy's muscles were still toned and properly exercised. While the punch succeeded at ripping open the knuckles of his hand since he wasn't rubber, Luffy didn't even care. It didn't matter because Squard had hurt Ace with his words and he deserved to be punched no matter what Marco and Ace had said.

"You take that back!" Luffy roared standing over Squard breathing heavily.

"Guards!" Squard screamed, "capture them!"

All hell broke loose. The robbers and fairies launched to action and met the guards in battle doing their best not to kill anyone following Ace's orders. Marco shifted between forms learning quickly that while he'd regained his human body, his avian form was the same cursed size. Miniaturized his secondary form was good for speed and little else. Marco ever adapting used it to quickly move around the guards before returning to human form behind them and kicking his siblings and the like into unconsciousness.

Ace was only a split second behind finding himself cornered by guards as the civilians and guests screamed and transformed into a stampede to escape. Fists up Ace struck out with the training drilled into him since a young age. Striking quick and heavy with his more practiced muscles and aiming for that sweet spot so he could knock out his opponents quickly and relatively harmlessly.

The stampeding crowd nearly took out Luffy who found himself tripping on the shoes he was wearing. He kicked them off nearly tripping once more, Law grabbed him before he fell fully and was trampled and yanked him to safety. Law swung the weapon toward Luffy's thighs chopping off the bottom of the dress altering it from around knee height to thigh height allowing him to regain his motion for the kicks he liked to use. With a laugh Luffy thanked Law, and the two turned toward the battle and the king who had rushed to his throne in the chaos.

In the end, the small skirmish was easily won. The fairies had a distinct advantage with their magic, but the real power-houses were those who still had their memories of the real world. Law who had skills with a sword even without his devil fruit. Luffy who was physically stronger than an average civilian, rubber or not. And Ace and Marco both with their haki and new world power. Quite frankly the guards were destroyed in seconds.

All four of them approached the throne and Squard who was standing before it furiously sneering.

"You think you've won," he said, "you think you have me trapped, you think I'll allow you to kill me?! I WILL NOT!"

"I'm not going to kill you Squard," Ace tried to sooth, "we both sail under Pops, we're friends Squard, family."

"You'll not trick me! Enchantress! Come! I have need of you!"

"Oh?" Law drawled. He'd suspected the identity of the enchantress from the tale already, wondering if the woman in the story was the same one that carried the devil fruit. Could she resist getting involved in her own tale putting her in danger of being attacked by those she'd captured? Or had she picked someone to portray that character?

"Your grace, I live to serve."

A shadow spawned behind the throne, darkness flowed up and over the elegant chair and edged along the ground looking like possessed tentacles. It looked remarkably like the smoke that had flowed over them to trap them in the fairy-tale world in the first place. But the voice was not feminine, it was deep, and to two of their number, familiar.

"Izo," Marco and Ace said at the same time as a figure revealed itself behind the throne. A face in the darkness wearing a dress of metal and purple. The being that stood there was dressed like a woman but was unmistakably male just as Ace was.

The enchantress smiled at them running his hands over the top of the thrown and leaned against it. Gazing at the king Izo the Enchantress asked in a sultry tone: "How might I serve you?"

"Protect me! Do not let them harm me," Squard's eyes shot to Ace: "as for my daughter… 'that' curse will do."

"But of course, I shall give you the protection you wish and the power to gain revenge for the… disservice the female has dealt you." Izo stepped out from behind the throne and lifted his hands' darkness pooling in his palms. It gathered there for a moment, only a moment before it exploded outward.

The four of them braced themselves no longer ignorant to the dangers of that smoke. The magic in this place was very real and whatever Izo was doing was dangerous. However, the smoke did not touch them; it shot out and surrounded Squard instead.

The king collapsed to his knees screaming. Marco and Ace took aborted steps forward alarmed and worried for him. While on the floor Squard writhed his voice growing deeper, darker, a growl vibrating in his throat as his body expanded. Wings - real ones like the wings of a bat - exploded from his back, black and gray scales raced down his skin. Claws and teeth, a snout and horns, Squard straightened and roared.

"DRAGON!" Luffy cried out in sheer delight.

"Focus on the situation Luffy!" Ace yelled grabbing Luffy by the back of the dress and carting him away from the beast as an enormous tail smashed where they'd all just been standing. They scattered in separated directions, Marco transforming and taking to the air to screech in Squard's direction. Law blocked the tail with his sword digging in his heels as he was sent skidding backward, thankfully unharmed.

"Plan?" Ace called diving past the banquet table as Squard's tail smashed into it sending food flying to Luffy's immense horror. Izo near the throne laughed long and hand, clutching his stomach with the sheer force of his amusement.

"The crown's still on his head," Luffy said: "I'm gonna get it."

"Luffy-ya you can't stretch." Law called from the side.

"Oh… right…"

Marco spotted the glitter hidden by the horns: "it's not a bad idea though. We subdue Izo and Squard, and we crown Ace as we planned." It didn't matter how anymore, together they were two division commanders of the Whitebeard crew and two rookie pirate captains. If they couldn't handle one dragon without devil fruit powers, then they didn't deserve those titles.

Ace, Luffy, and Law all seemed to agree with his plot when all three of them acted in the same moment. Ace rushed away from the table vaulting over the tail Squard sent his way so he could bull rush the dragon. Luffy appeared from the opposite side with a chicken leg in his hands as he munched on it hurrying the opposite direction with a plan in mind. Law waited in his spot observing Squard's motions, but his gaze focused on Izo who was not paying attention to him.

Luffy reached Squard first when the dragon clawed at Ace forcing him to dodge. Tossing aside the chicken bones Luffy grabbed the lowest spine coming off Squard's back and started to climb upward. He was getting that crown!

Squard twisted as Ace drove around his leg snatching a dagger off of one of the unconscious guards and using it to strike at scales. With the size of the blade compared to Squard, it would be like an annoying insect bite, perfect to Ace who didn't want to actually hurt his sibling. Unfortunately, the weapon did nothing more than bounce off the scales, so Ace shoved armament haki into it hoping to do some proper damage.

With Squard distracted Luffy grabbed tight to the spine he was holding onto as the dragon twisted around. He grinned widely excited to reach the top and to sit on the dragon's shoulders, maybe he could even make 'Squardon' fly with him on board. While he climbed Law skidded under Squard's flailing tail moving swiftly but silently toward Izo to knock the man unconscious. Marco mimicked his actions soaring under Squard's extended wings- he grew too close to one when Squard furiously flapped and the sheer wind strength in comparison to Marco's small wings sent him spiraling toward a nearby wall.

"Marco!" cried Ace. Marco twisted at the last second transforming and landing feet first against the wall. His fingers brushed the stone before he kicked out shifting midway and returning right to the battle, right for Izo.

Marco and Law reached Izo at the same moment surrounding him while Luffy cried out in triumph finally reaching the top of Squard's body. With his legs wrapped around Squard's elongated neck Luffy clung tight. Squard did not even notice Luffy, too focused on grabbing for Ace who lashed out at the clutching hand stabbing a haki coated dagger into the back of it.

Squard screeched in rage his entire body flailing in pain. Luffy yelped gripping tight to the spines closest to him lest he be unseated. Ace was sent flying when Squard's tail spun striking him in the side, Ace narrowly managed to coat his body in haki before he hit the wall with a crack. Marco was forced to dodge Squard lest he suffer Ace's fate, the dodge caused him to fly right into Izo's line of sight causing him to acknowledge their plan.

"Your grace!" Izo cried.

Squard spun seeing Law steps away from his enchantress and heaved a furious breath. Smoke and flames escaped his snout toward Marco as he grabbed for Law. Yanking up his sword Law could only prevent himself from being skewered by Squard's claws by blocking with the blade. Squard was not deterred by this; his too large hands surrounded Law and yanking him off his feet.

Squard released around furious cry as Ace stabbed the back of his foot. His flight or fight instinct took over; Squard's wings began to pump beating a furious tempo as he decided to take to the air to escape the ants attacking him. He charged for the walls of the palace crashing straight through them before flying upward and out of reach of Ace, Marco, and Izo. Upward he flew, higher and higher until he was miles above the castle. Then Squard looked down at Law in his grip realizing he could be rid of this ant once and for all.

"My traitorous guard," he taunted, "now you die."

And he let Law go.


	15. True To Your Heart

Marco dodged the falling pieces of glass and the rock that made up the castle walls. Shooting to his feet, he spread out his haki sensing for his allies and for his mate in the rubble and chaos. He checked for life-signs all around him worried some of the debris had struck his unconscious siblings. By some miracle, none of them had died in the chaos.

"Ace!" he called.

"I'm good… Luffy? Law?"

"Squard grabbed Law," Marco answered, he couldn't sense Luffy though. He shot a look upward where Squard was becoming smaller and smaller in the distance. It was possible that Luffy was…

"Does Squard have them?" Ace asked with a hand over his forehead looking up unable to make out the details.

"He does-" Marco cut off when Squard opened his hand and dropped Law. From that height, he wouldn't survive, and Marco did not have the size to catch and carry him. Swearing loudly Marco knew he'd have to try anyway. He slipped forms shooting at full speed out the gaping hole in the walls while calling: "Knock Izo out Ace! Quickly!"

Ace didn't waste a second, spinning on the spot and diving for his brother. Izo raised his hands to cast a spell at Ace, shadows surged upward far more menacing than the ones that overtook Squard. Ace didn't waste a moment with them as he batted the darkness away with his haki coated fist. "Sorry Izo!" he cried and socked his brother across the face dropping him like a stone. While from the corner of his eyes, Ace caught sight of a glint under the rubble.

Miles above Luffy gripped hard to Squard, eyes narrowed from the wind pressure as they flew higher and higher until they finally stopped. Moments before Luffy had snatched the crown they needed and had tossed it to the floor toward Ace but Luffy didn't know if his brother had seen it. Gritting his teeth as the temperature plummeted Luffy turned to the dragon under him: "Hey! Squardon! What are you doing?!" he kicked Squardon in the side, not that Squardon even felt it.

Luffy glanced over the side of Squard trying to see what was happening and saw it. Law was in Squard's hand, and Luffy waved a bit, they both got to ride a dragon that was so cool! Under him Luffy felt Squard's body rumble in anger as he spoke.

"My traitorous guard," Squard taunted, "now you die."

Luffy felt like time slowed as Squard opened his claws, and Law slipped out of them plummeting to the ground. Luffy stared in quiet horror as his mind tried to catch up too what he was seeing, to what he was thinking. Falling to the ground hadn't been an issue to Luffy in a decade. He was rubber, and rubber couldn't be hurt in a fall. But Law, Law wasn't rubber, and he could be injured, no he could die. Luffy's new friend would die-

It was likely out of sheer instinct that directed Luffy's next step. Because before Luffy even remembered or acknowledged the fact that he didn't have his devil fruit, he'd let go of Squard diving after Law to save him. He caught up quickly grabbing Law's wrist and twisting their bodies so he'd hit the ground first just like he always did.

"Moron!" Law screamed at him, "you're not rubber Luffy-ya!"

The wind ripped at them, Luffy's slightly longer hair smacked him the face and blocked his vision as together they fell. Through it Luffy looked into Law's eyes and said: "I know."

That was it then, his journey was over… that was fine, he knew it would end one day and it was okay. Because Ace would be safe and happy with Marco and maybe Law would survive if Luffy hit the ground first. His only concern was for his crew, but Luffy had faith that they'd find each other eventually and that they'd reach their dreams. With that in mind he truly had no regrets and could smile.

In the corner of Luffy's eye, there was a flash of blue.

Down below Ace hurled rocks out of the way and found it, Squard's gaudy crown with the tips bent under the rubber. He'd never wanted to be a noble, never wanted to be king, not really. He'd always expected Luffy to be the pirate king. Even when he'd told Luffy he'd make his captain the king, he hadn't truly meant it; Ace knew his father didn't want it either, and he knew Luffy would one day succeed. Not wanting to be king didn't stop Ace from lifting the crown. It was the key to breaking the curse, to freeing them all. He could wear the stupid thing a moment for that.

Marco's haki coated claws sunk into Law's shirt as he desperately tried to slow them both, he used any strength that he could possibly carry in his body to delay them, to save them. As he did, Law's head jerked, and his face and lips smacked straight into Luffy's.

Ace dropped the golden circlet on top of his head.

A burst of light exploded around them all and Marco's miniaturized form tripled in size. Their descent slowed as the full force of Marco's powerful wings slowed them to a near stop. Luffy and Law both wrenched their heads apart looking up at the Phoenix. Then they looked at each other slow smiles spreading across their faces. Law reached out his hand and said firmly: "Room."

Blue energy rushed out of his palm extending all the way to the castle and the rubble ready and waiting to be swapped with. Law crossed his fingers, and they dropped to the floor safe and sound. He repeated the motion as he felt Squard enter the room from the top unwilling to let the man fall to his death as he'd tried do to Law himself. Squard popped up beside them fully human and unconscious, glittering energy swirling around him.

"Ace!" Luffy called happily noticing his brother wearing the crown.

"Luffy! Marco! La- Trafalgar, You alright?"

"We're fine." Law drawled mentally thanking Ace for his timing.

Marco beside him gave Ace a thoughtful expression wondering what had happened first and what had done it. Ace putting on the crown, or the accidental kiss between Law and Luffy he'd been witness to.

"Did we do it then? Is the curse broken?" Ace wondered. Just as he voiced the question, the world around them rocked and began to break apart. Like the sky was made of puzzle pieces the world they'd gotten used to shattered and began to evaporate.

"We did it!" Luffy punched the air, "look Torao! It worked!"

"Yes." Law smirked at him as the people around them started popping away leaving behind flares of glittering color.

Ace scoffed and tossed aside the crown now that he didn't need to wear it. "Good riddance," he said as it melted away.

Marco stepped forward cupping Ace's face, he had one thing to say before they left, one worry to carry: "Ace… if you're with the Marines when we come to…"

"I'll expect you to save me," Ace answered in return even as he flipped the dagger he'd stolen in his palm. He had it firmly coated in haki thinking it might not evaporate like everything else and then he could use it to defend himself.

Marco gave him an approving nod even as he pressed their lips together in a quick kiss: "I'll be there as soon as I can," he swore before he vanished in a glittering blue swirl.

"I know," Ace said to the spot he'd been before he too vanished.

Luffy punched his fists together prepared to finish his rescue job, he'd beat up anyone that stopped him. No matter how many times Marco had told him the Whitebeard Pirates could handle it, Luffy was of the firm opinion they couldn't. After all, if he and Law hadn't been there, then Marco would still be in a cage. With that in mind Luffy turned, the ripped remains of his dressed swirling as he moved, and he gave Law a thumbs up: "See you soon Torao!" and disappeared.

Law, the last person in the world, glanced upward; he still felt the sting of the wind across his skin, the talons ripping at the skin of his back, and the lips that had pressed to his so quickly it felt like a dream. Tentatively Law raised up a hand and brushed his fingers across his lips.

Then he too was gone.


	16. Ever Ever After

Law staggered automatically reaching out for balance. His hands landed on the familiar raised metal of his the Polar Tang, and he knew he was back. Law shoved off from the wall and strode toward the control room. He bypassed his men, some that had been guards, others robbers, one or two a fairy and slammed open the door orders already on his tongue.

"Bepo! Take us up!"

"Aye sir!" Bepo saluted out of habit and rushed for the controls to do that. He acted even though he was still mentally reeling from being a pet of a visiting noble in the strange dream he seemed to have been having… or that everyone seemed to be having.

"I WAS IN A DRESS!" Penguin cried collapsing to his knees dramatically.

"I think… did the captain knock me out?"

"What the-"

Law confirmed for himself that his crew and therefore everyone involved remembered the fairy-tale world. Which also meant the Whitebeard pirates, like the yonko himself, and the shichibukai Jimbe who Law had seen dancing at the beginning of the incident also did. But that did not answer his most important concerns, like where was Luffy currently located, and was Portgas D. Ace still a prisoner to the marines? Admittedly Law did not want Ace killed, he was a potential ally in his head - and Luffy would be devastated if-

The sub breached the surface and Law grew a room around them relieved he'd regained the ability to do so. Law had no idea how much he'd miss the ability once he'd lost it. He swapped himself to the deck of the Polar Tang looking out toward Marineford. The first thing he saw was the Whitebeard pirates and their allies. A rush of respect rushed through him as he realized they'd quickly and efficiently dealt with the few marine ships in the area. Even if Marineford itself was not guarded by the sheer number Law and many others had expected to be present before the trap had been revealed.

Naturally, now that the Marines were defeated the Whitebeard pirates and their allies were having mental breakdowns just as his own crew was. He could hear his own crew freaking out over the memories of him knocking them unconscious. Bepo was loudly worrying that they'd committed mutiny and that Law would send them all to the brig. Law allowed them to think it for the time being, though he had no intentions of doing so.

Otherwise, he scanned the shore looking for Ace. Not seeing him Law turned his gaze to the Moby Dick searching instead for a hint of blue flames. There! Marco was flying toward his ship lazily, Law hailed him giving him permission to board.

Marco landed, his talons clutching the railing on the deck while his upper body transformed leaving only the wings and legs of a bird as he did.

"Portgas?" Law asked.

"Ace is fine," Marco assured, "your crew?"

"NO SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE-"

"At least it was a nice dress-"

"The wings weren't even real-"

"I'm sorry. So sorry."

"Coping," he answered to that. "And Luffy?"

"I haven't seen him yet, we don't know where he was coming from." Marco scanned the sea absently looking for a sign of any ships on the horizon. Luffy had to be in the area, with Jimbe who had been in Impel Down, as well as Ivankov. Marco and Law in the same moment spotted a marine ship in the distance both jumped on their guards, Law prepared to order his crew to battle stations, until he saw Marco relax.

"They're flying the colors."

As it got closer Law realized the accuracy of that. Someone had removed all the marine signs on the ship and had painted over them with black, the pirate colors. Once it was close enough, Law saw it, a shape in the distance flying toward them. "Is that…"

"Yes."

It was Luffy.

"Toraaaoooooo!" Luffy cried using his regained rubber abilities to fling himself from the deck of the stolen marine ship toward the Polar Tang.

"He's going to hit the water," Marco said.

"I've got him." Law lifted his hand summoning a room, and snatched Luffy out of the air. He dropped Luffy beside him on the deck, and Luffy after a brief moment of confusion realized where he was and launched at Law.

"Look Torao! I'm a man again, Iva-san changed me back!" Luffy reported spreading out his arms and doing a quick spin, "oh! Margo! Is Ace okay?"

"Ace is fine, he's on the Moby Dick currently being yelled at for being reckless," Marco smirked, "would you like to join?"

"Eh, no way. As long as Ace is safe, he can stay with his Nakama."

"…Alright, well regardless we're heading to one of our nearby allied islands. You are both welcomed to join… we'll be having a feast."

"I'll come! Right Torao! We'll go right?"

Law looked at Luffy in surprise before slowly nodding, he'd go as well.

"Follow us then." Marco took to the air banking toward his ship and flying swiftly away. At the same time, Luffy started excitedly telling Law everything he was going to eat at the feast all at once because now he could since he was rubber again and he spoke of Jimbe's reaction to the curse breaking. Law nodded along relaxing at the sound of Luffy's excited voice and trying not to over analyze why that was.

It would have to be something he'd explore later. Whatever feelings he did or did not have toward Luffy would have to wait, wait until he was sure Doflamingo had been dealt with. Wait until Law knew if he'd even survive the encounter in the first place.

A secret part of him dearly hoped he did.


End file.
